MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Scotland “undoubtedly” closer to an independence referendum

Ms Sturgeon, in a BBC interview, agreed that another vote on independence was “all but inevitable”.

First minister Nicola Sturgeon said that plans to take the UK out of the EU's single market brought a second Scottish independence referendum “undoubtedly” closer. She was speaking after Prime Minister Theresa May outlined her government's thinking on Brexit.

 Ms Sturgeon, in a BBC interview, agreed that another vote on independence was “all but inevitable”. She believed that Scotland should be able to choose a “different future” to the one outlined by Mrs. May.

The Scottish government has repeatedly raised the prospect of a vote on independence if Scotland's membership of the single market was threatened by a so-called hard Brexit. It has set out proposals aimed at keeping Scotland in the trade bloc even if the rest of the UK leaves.

Scottish voters backed remaining in the EU by 62% to 38% in last year's referendum, while the UK as a whole voted to leave.

In an interview with BBC Scotland following the prime minister's statement, Ms Sturgeon said the move away from the single market “undoubtedly” brings an independence referendum closer.

And when asked by Political Editor Brian Taylor if a second vote was “all but inevitable”, the first minister replied “I think that is very likely the case”.

The first minister said “there comes a point of democratic principle” where if there are to be “fundamental changes” then people should be offered a different choice. She added: “What I've heard today from the PM is an inability to engage in discussions that further compromise.

”I will continue to act in an orderly and reasonable fashion. I said I would exhaust all options, and that's what I will do. But we are going to have to see some give from the UK government.

“I am not prepared to allow Scotland's interests to be simply cast aside. I'm not prepared for Scotland to be taken down a path which I firmly believe to be damaging not just to our economy but to the very kind of society that we are.”

The prime minister spoke to Ms Sturgeon ahead of her speech, which confirmed that the UK would leave the single market while seeking the “freest possible trade in goods and services” with the EU after Brexit.

Speaking in London as she outlined her 12 objectives for the Brexit negotiations, Mrs May said the Scottish government's proposals would be considered as part of the Brexit process.

And she made clear that she wanted a “customs agreement” with the other 27 member states of the EU as part of efforts to ensure Brexit leads to tariff-free trade and “the freest possible trade in goods and services between Britain and the EU's member states”.

The prime minister also said she wanted the UK to be able to negotiate trade deals with other countries around the world as part of plans to create a “truly global Britain”.

But she added: “What I am proposing cannot mean membership of the single market. Instead we seek the greatest possible access to it through a new comprehensive, bold and ambitious free trade agreement.

”That agreement may take in elements of current single-market arrangements in certain areas.”