LONDON — Britain's shocking decision to remove itself from the European Union brought more political turmoil Sunday as Scotland's leader threatened to block the move and the opposition Labour Party's leader faced a coup attempt from his own legislators.
The sense of unease spread as European leaders stepped up the pressure on Britain to begin its complex exit from the 28-nation EU immediately, rather than wait several months as British Prime Minister David Cameron prefers.
The leaders of the successful campaign to leave the EU stayed largely out of the public eye, as opponents accused them of lacking a plan to calm the crisis that Thursday's vote triggered. In his first statement since Friday morning, "leave" leader and former London Mayor Boris Johnson used his column in the Daily Telegraph to urge unity and say "the negative consequences (of the vote) are being wildly overdone."
The vote, however, risks causing a political schism in the United Kingdom. Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she would consider advising the Scottish Parliament to try to use its power to prevent Britain from leaving the EU. She said Scottish lawmakers might be able to derail the move by withholding "legislative consent" for an exit.
The vote has cut short Cameron's career. He said after the results that he will resign as prime minister when the Conservative Party chooses a new leader, who will be charged with implementing the exit from the EU.
The new party leader, who will become prime minister, is expected to be in place by October. At that point, he or she may choose to call a quick election to solidify a mandate — and the prospect of an election in the near future may have spurred a revolt Sunday against Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn that has been simmering for months.
Corbyn, a critic of the EU who was criticized by many for doing a weak job presenting the party's position favoring membership, faces a rebellion from senior members of his "shadow cabinet" — the opposition party's mirror government of senior lawmakers.
Eleven "shadow cabinet" members resigned Sunday after Corbyn fired the shadow foreign secretary overnight for reportedly plotting a rebellion against him.