PM urged to secure 'compromise UK-wide approach' to Brexit negotiations

The British Government will face "consequences" if it fails to secure a UK-wide approach to Brexit negotiations, the SNP's Westminster leader has warned.

Angus Robertson accused the Prime Minster of rebuffing repeated attempts from Holyrood at a Brexit compromise, and urged her to get the backing of all parts of the UK for her strategy.

His comments, made in the Commons after Theresa May delivered a statement on last week's EU summit, come after Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced she will seek permission for a second independence referendum.

Mr Robertson said: "Last July we were told by the Prime Minister herself, and I am sure she remembers saying these very words, that she would not trigger Article 50 until she had 'a UK-wide approach'.

"Now she knows that she has no agreement with the devolved administration, despite months of compromise suggestions from the Scottish Government.

"So, will the UK Government, even at this very late stage, use the next days to secure a compromise UK-wide approach, or does she still plan to plough on regardless, even though she knows of the consequences that will mean?"

Alex Salmond, the former first minister of Scotland, also raised Mrs May's pledge to adopt a UK-wide approach and asked: "Was that misreporting by The Daily Telegraph, misspeaking by the Prime Minister, or is she still working on it?"

The Prime Minister said Britain has been in talks with all the devolved administrations about negotiations to leave the EU and said there is no appetite in Scotland for another referendum.

She said: "We have been in discussions with the Scottish Government and the other devolved administrations, recognising the issues that they have raised, recognising the issues and concerns and the common ground between us.

"But you refer to the views of the Scottish people in relation to the announcement made yesterday by the Scottish First Minister, I might remind him that the evidence in Scotland is that actually the majority of the Scottish people do not want a second independence referendum."

And she stressed that it is in Scotland's economic interests to stay part of the United Kingdom's single market, rather than abandoning it to keep its relationship with Brussels.

Addressing Mr Robertson, she said: "He talks about a single market, he talks about the importance of access to the single market of the European Union.

"I would simply remind him and his colleagues once again, that the most important single market for Scotland is the single market of the United Kingdom."

Mrs May also attacked Mr Salmond's pledge that the 2014 vote was a once-in-a- generation event.

"Those in Scotland who talk about having a second independence referendum should remember what (Mr Salmond) said," said Mrs May.

"It was a once-in-a-generation vote that took place in September 2014.

"It seems a generation now is less than three years."

Mrs May added that the Spanish government had been very clear that it was not possible for a country to break away from an EU member state and immediately rejoin the bloc.

"This is the (former president of the European Commission Jose Manuel) Barroso doctrine, it has been reaffirmed by the European Commission, and so as far as Scotland is concerned independence would not mean membership of the European Union, it would mean that Scotland would remain outside the European Union," she added.

Former shadow chancellor Chris Leslie, though, accused Mrs May of "throwing in the towel" over Britain's membership of the EU single market.

He added: "Will she admit what an error it was for her to have given the Scottish First Minister exactly the excuse she was looking for for their opportunistic second referendum?"

Hywel Williams, Westminster leader of Plaid Cymru, was also critical of the Government's approach to the devolved administrations.

He said: "I was glad to hear the Prime Minister say that she had been working closely with the devolved administrations.

"I was glad but slightly puzzled, because the joint ministerial committee on exiting the EU is less organised than a community council.

"Not my words, but those of an actual participant, the Welsh government minister Mark Drakeford."