MICHAEL Gove and George Galloway sparked an angry reaction last night when they questioned who should get to vote in a second Scottish independence referendum.

Galloway, who is currently leading the anti-independence Alliance for Unity party, tweeted to say that if there is an indyref2 then people born in Scotland but now living across the rest of the UK should be able to vote.

The former Labour MP wrote: “.. 795,000 Scots living elsewhere in the UK MUST have a vote. If UK expats can vote in General Elections from Spain then an existential question like separatism MUST be answered by all Scots.”

Galloway tagged Gove in his post, who replied late last night to note that it was an “interesting question”.

The Tory minister’s comment came after another poll showing majority support for Scottish independence – this time a Panelbase survey showing backing for Yes at 55%.

In the 2014 independence referendum, all EU or Commonwealth citizens living in Scotland and over the age of 16 could vote. The Referendums (Scotland) Act 2020 features the same rules.

At Westminster elections voters are not required to have a permanent address in the UK, but they must be a British citizen living abroad who has been registered to vote there within the last 15 years.

Gove and Galloway’s questioning of the future voting rules was branded a “slippery slope” by political blogger Jon Worth, while former SNP Westminster leader Angus Robertson said their comments were “undemocratic”.

Worth asked: “Are they then going to demand those born in England but now resident in Scotland cannot vote in the referendum too? This has to be - as 2014 was - based on residence only. There’s no decent other way.”

Robertson commented: “With polls now showing a consistent majority in favour of Scottish independence its opponents in Westminster consider changing the electorate an ‘interesting question’. Looks desperate, and undemocratic.”

Meanwhile, the SNP’s longest serving MP Pete Wishart replied to the Tory minister to ask: “In what way, Michael? Sure you will be able to share your view on any future franchise with your SNP 'shadow'? Then again we know how this works …”

Many other Twitter users questioned how a Scot living elsewhere in the UK could be identified for the purpose of legislating any new rule.

Meanwhile, former SNP MSP Marco Biagi disagreed with the current UK system. "UK emigrants in Spain shouldn't be able to vote in UK General Elections. Next question," he wrote.