Nicola Sturgeon has warned a new vote on breaking-up Britain is now even "more likely" after Theresa May used her Brexit speech to rule out membership of the single market.
The First Minister said that for all the Prime Minister's "warm words" about the Union, the UK was heading for a hard Brexit that “threatens to be economically catastrophic”.
She accused Mrs May of ignoring Scotland's wishes, adding: “Decisions are being driven not by the rational best interests of the country, but by the obsessions of the hard-right of the Tory party.
“It is also becoming clear that a more fundamental issue is emerging – not just whether the UK is in or out of the EU, but what kind of country it is going to be.
“The Prime Minister gave the game away towards the end of her speech when she talked of the potential for the UK to become a low wage, low tax, deregulated economy. That would see a race to the bottom replace our membership of the single market and everyone – perhaps apart from the very wealthiest – would be worse off as a result.”
Opposition parties urged the SNP to rule out another referendum and claimed they wanted a new vote at any cost, while Ruth Davidson, the Scottish Conservative leader, said Mrs May had set out a “clear and reasonable plan” that would see UK businesses continue to “trade freely in Europe after we leave the EU”.
The Scottish Government set out its own Brexit proposals before Christmas when it called for the UK to remain in the single market, or for Scotland to remain in the single market while still part of the UK.
Ms Sturgeon said that while talks on the proposals were continuing, and the Prime Minister had promised to give them proper consideration, there was still no evidence that “Scotland's voice was being listened to or our interests taken into account”.
She first warned the day after the Brexit vote last June that a new vote independence referendum was “highly likely” and said Mrs May’s position would have to change quickly if there was to be “any confidence that Scotland’s interests can be met within the UK”.
The First Minister also said that if the UK was leaving the single market there would have to be serious engagement on her proposal to allow Scotland to stay in.
Ms Sturgeon said the Scottish Government would continue to take decisions “in an orderly and responsible way” but the Tory Government could not be allowed to "act against Scotland's wishes and our interests, and reject all attempts at compromise".
She added: “It seems the Westminster Tory Government now think they can do anything to Scotland and get away with it. They must start to understand how wrong they are. The UK Government cannot be allowed to take us out of the EU and the single market, regardless of the impact on our economy, jobs, living standards and our reputation as an open, tolerant country, without Scotland having the ability to choose between that and a different future.
“With her comments today, the Prime Minister has only succeeded in making that choice more likely.”
Ms Davidson said the Prime Minister had made clear that she would “prioritise the protection of our own union of nations" and said all parts of the UK should now be pulling together.
She added: "There is no reason why both Britain and the European Union cannot emerge from the negotiations in stronger shape.
"The SNP should have the good grace to accept that many of its own demands - including the protection of workers’ rights, and the protection of rights for EU citizens in Britain and cross-border cooperation on tackling crime - have been recognised by the UK Government.
"Ever since the Brexit vote, the SNP has tried to use the result as an excuse for holding a divisive second referendum on independence. It has failed to persuade people in Scotland of that case. Now that the UK Government has spelled out this plan of action, that case has collapsed altogether."
Kezia Dugdale, the Scottish Labour leader, said the speech would increase the divisions in the country and accused the Tories of putting the Union at risk by “furthering the sort of divisions the SNP thrives on”.
But she also said it would be the wrong reaction to the speech to call for another referendum. "It's illogical to react to the UK leaving the EU single market by calling for Scotland to leave the UK single market too. Remaining in the UK is even more important to Scotland than being part of the EU. Scotland's economy, jobs and public finances are all boosted by remaining in the UK.
"Under independence, Scotland would face the prospect of being out of the EU and out of the UK. That would be a disaster for Scotland."
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