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Councillors are demanding the right to hold a stand-alone independence referendum for Dumfries and Galloway.

A motion will go to the full council on Tuesday calling for the local authority to seek Westminster approval to allow residents to vote for the region to either remain part of the UK or to leave if a second indy poll gets the go-ahead.

The Dumfries and Galloway Independents want a region-wide vote to be held simultaneously with any for Scotland. The idea has been put through legal channels and declared “competent.”

Councillor Peter Diggle said: “This is not designed to take Dumfries and Galloway out of Scotland, nor to make Dumfries and Galloway an independent state.

“It is, however, designed to give people the democratic right to decide whether or not Dumfries and Galloway should remain part of the United Kingdom or leave, should another independence referendum be held.

“The SNP Government does not have a mandate to take Dumfries and Galloway out of the United Kingdom against its will.”

In 2014, 65.7 per cent of the region’s residents voted to remain in the UK. Earlier this year, Dumfries and Galloway was one of 28 council areas of Scotland that voted to remain in the UK.

However, following the UK-wide decision to leave the European Union, the Scottish Government says it puts a second independence vote on the cards.

Mr Diggle said the former Conservative councillors who make up the Independents are

“all absolutely committed to staying with the UK.”

He is urging people to attend the council meeting in English Street, Dumfries, at 10.30am on Tuesday to show their support for the idea.