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Within hours of the Scottish first minister announcing she is planning to hold a second independence vote between autumn 2018 and spring of 2019, the leaders of Plaid Cymru in Wales and Sinn Fein in Northern Ireland called for their own referendum. Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood said Wales should be given a vote if Scotland votes in favour of leaving the UK. She said it could signal “the end of the UK as a state” and “a national debate to explore all of the options” would be needed in Wales.

To us in Sinn Fein that increases the urgency for the need of a referendum on Irish unity and that needs to happen as soon as possible Michelle O'Neill

Ms Wood, added: “If the UK Government's Brexit negotiation also leads to the Welsh national interest being overlooked, support will grow for greater control of our own affairs in Wales. "Now is a good time for people in Wales to think about what is in our own national interests and how we can best unlock our country's potential in this new constitutional scenario."

Getty Ms Sturgeon has set off a domino effect, with Wales and N Ireland calling for independence votes

Wales is currently led by a Labour and Liberal Democrats coalition, with Plaid Cymru being second largest Assembly party and the official opposition. Welsh voters voted by a majority to leave the EU in last year's Brexit vote, while Northern Ireland voted to remain.

Northern Ireland then joined in the rebellion, with Michelle O’Neill, Sinn Fein’s leader in the region, saying the British Government was “on the verge of triggering Article 50 that is going to take the North out of the EU against the expressed wishes of the majority of people here”. She added: “They are continuing to refuse to listen to the majority views. Brexit would be a disaster for the economy and the people of Ireland. "To us in Sinn Fein that increases the urgency for the need of a referendum on Irish unity and that needs to happen as soon as possible."

Getty Sinn Fein's Northern Ireland leader Michelle O'Neill called for a vote for her country

Getty Plaid Cymru's leader Leanne Wood called for a Welsh independence vote if Scotland votes to leave

Sinn Fein is in a coalition with the DUP in the Northern Ireland Assembly and has consistently called to break away from the UK. The calls for independence are yet another headache for Theresa May, who accused the SNP of “tunnel vision” yesterday.

Getty Theresa May accused Ms Sturgeon of "tunnel vision"

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She said: “We've been working closely with the devolved administrations and we've been listening to their proposals, and recognising the many areas of common ground that we have. "The tunnel vision that SNP has shown today is deeply regrettable.