Reports from Ireland reveal that Sir Billy Connolly has described the Brexit vote as a “disaster” and said Scottish independence “may be the way to go” to retain close ties with Europe.

The US-based actor and comedian did not vote in the 2014 independence referendum and declined to enter the debate, saying he did not want to influence anyone’s views.

But in a new book, Made In Scotland, Connolly suggests that in light of the UK’s proposed withdrawal from the EU, leaving the union might be an option.

In the Cork-based onine publication BreakingNews.ie, which is published out of Cork by Landmark Digital, Connolly said “I think the more people are together, not separate, the happier they will be. The most important thing for Scotland is to keep our contact with Europe. Scots voted to stay in Europe, and if the only way for us to do that is to become independent from England, that may just be the way to go. And I never thought I would say that.”