MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

May/Sturgeon meeting confirm the divide between the two leaders over Brexit

Before the talks, Mrs. May told MPs that “the last thing we want is a second independence referendum”.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Prime Minister Theresa May have met for talks in London after clashing over a second Scottish independence vote. The Downing Street summit was part of what Mrs. May called an “enhanced role” for the Scottish government in Brexit.

But before the talks, she told MPs that “the last thing we want is a second independence referendum”. Ms Sturgeon hit back, saying that the prime minister was “running scared from the verdict of the Scottish people”.

The row mirrors the divide between the two leaders over Brexit, with Ms Sturgeon urging Mrs May to consider a fresh referendum on EU membership - something the prime minister opposes.

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.

Speaking after her meeting in Downing Street, Ms Sturgeon said Mrs. May had shown “no sign of compromise” on her Brexit red lines. She said: “It seems to me her priority is trying to win support from the DUP and the hard-line Brexiteers in her own party rather than genuinely trying to compromise to bring others on side.

”It seems to me she's putting all of her eggs in the basket of trying to win over the DUP and the ERG (European Research Group) - playing to the right-wing hard line Brexiteers which, unless something fundamental changes that I can't see right now, is destined to fail.

“It's also taking the entire country and Scotland in particular down the wrong road, one that's going to be devastating for our economy and, particularly around free movement, deeply damaging to Scotland's population and therefore our economy in the long-term.”

Mrs. May has said she is “committed to giving the devolved administrations an enhanced role” in the next phase of talks, “respecting their competence and vital interests in those negotiations”.

During weekly questions at Westminster, Mrs. May was urged by Scottish Tory MP Stephen Kerr to rule out any agreement with the Scottish government for a fresh Scottish independence referendum.

Mrs May said: “Scotland held a referendum in 2014. It was legal, fair and decisive, and the people clearly voted for Scotland to remain part of the United Kingdom.

”More than that, at the last general election, the people of Scotland again sent a very clear message that they do not want a second divisive referendum, but the SNP sadly is out of touch with the people of Scotland and has not yet heard that message.

“The last thing we want is a second independence referendum. The United Kingdom should be pulling together, and should not be being driven apart.”

Hitting back shortly before arriving at Downing Street, Ms Sturgeon said that “what Scotland needs is much more important than what the prime minister wants”.

She said: “Theresa May fears she would lose an independence referendum and is clearly running scared of the verdict of the Scottish people - who must be sick and tired of being told what the prime minister wants.

”The mandate to give the people of Scotland a choice over their future is cast-iron. A majority of MSPs and Scottish MPs returned at the last two general elections support holding an independence referendum in the circumstances in which we now find ourselves.

“The SNP believe that the people of Scotland should be in charge of their own future - not live at the whim and diktat of a hard line, inflexible Tory unionist cabal” .