MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Sturgeon to London to meet Mrs. May; First Minister favors extension of Article 50

Ahead of the talks in London, Ms Sturgeon said she was not optimistic that Mrs. May could be persuaded to change course

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is heading to London for Brexit talks with Prime Minister Theresa May. Mrs. May is attempting to build support for her withdrawal plan and is holding talks with opposition parties and the Scottish and Welsh governments.

The prime minister said the devolved administrations would be given an “enhanced role” in future Brexit talks. However, Ms Sturgeon said she was “not going into the meeting with high expectations” after past encounters.

The UK is due to leave the EU on 29 March, with or without a deal, under current legislation. The UK government is casting around to find a Brexit deal which could win a parliamentary majority after Mrs May's blueprint was overwhelmingly rejected by MPs.

Various rival plans have been put forward, ranging from tweaks to the existing withdrawal agreement to holding a new referendum which could potentially see Brexit called off.

MPs will vote again on 29 January, although Mrs. May has so far given few details about how her deal might be changed ahead of this.

Ahead of the talks in London, Ms Sturgeon told BBC Scotland that she was not optimistic that Mrs May could be persuaded to change course. She said: “It seems to me that the prime minister's approach is that she will listen to other voices in other parties - as long as we're prepared to agree with her.

”Her approach doesn't seem to have changed one iota since that historic defeat she suffered in the House of Commons last week, and it needs to change if any progress is to be made.

“She has to recognize that there is no more time to waste, that's why I think it's so important to seek now an extension to Article 50, and she has to open her mind to the prospect of another EU referendum to put this issue back to the electorate if the parliamentary deadlock can't be broken.

”Of course I'll also remind her that Scotland didn't vote to leave the EU, we voted to remain.

“And if her government and the Westminster establishment is going to continue to ignore Scotland's voice and Scotland's interests then we have the right to consider other options for our future, including independence.”

Ms Sturgeon has also criticized a decision to cancel a meeting that was due to take place last Thursday, involving senior politicians from Scotland and Wales.

A Cabinet Office said diary pressures meant the Joint Ministerial Council meeting would got not ahead as scheduled.

On Monday, Mrs. May said the Scottish and Welsh governments would be involved more closely in future talks, and said she would look for more ways to involve Northern Irish representatives.