Sturgeon: Second Scottish independence referendum 'more likely'

Nicola Sturgeon, the First Minister of Scotland and leader of the Scottish Nationalist Party, said a second independence referendum is “more likely” after Prime Minister Theresa May said Britain would seek to leave the European single market.

The First Minister said that before Christmas the Scottish government set out proposals to protect Scotland’s interests and stressed the importance of the single market to Scotland’s economic and wider national interests.

She said: “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.”

However Ruth Davidson, leader of the Scottish Conservative party, said that the Prime Minister met Sturgeon’s demands, for free trade with the EU, protecting EU citizens in Britain, and further devolution.

On Tuesday, May said that Britain could not remain a "partial" member of the EU and the country would leave the single market and customs union in order to curb immigration and forge new trade deals. She also said that the final Brexit deal negotiated with bloc will be put to a vote to both houses of parliament.

In the referendum last June, Scotland voted to remain in the EU by 62% to 38%, while the rest of country voted to leave by 52% to 48%

In September 2014, Scotland voted against independence by 55.3% to 45.7%.