Ross Greer, who speaks for the Scottish Greens on external affairs, insisted his party would help the SNP request a Section 30 order.

He said: "If a Tory Westminster government that Scotland did not elect seriously think they can block our right to choose - and that they can veto a decision of our elected parliament - they will only increase support for independence.

"Today's comments underline the contemptuous attitude the Tories have toward Scotland."

Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale said it was vital that Scots knew what they would be voting for before any poll took place.

She said: "There absolutely should not be another independence referendum until after Brexit.

Image source, PA

"We have no idea what Brexit looks like, or how it will impact our economy and families in Scotland.

"People cannot be asked to make a decision about the future of our 300-year-old Union in the dark.

"If there is to be another vote, the people of Scotland deserve clarity on what they are being asked to vote on." 

“As I set out earlier this week, we are not proposing a referendum now - we are proposing to give the people of Scotland a choice once Brexit is clear but before it is too late.

“The PM does not appear to have listened to our proposal.

“We will put our proposition, based firmly on this government’s democratic mandate, to the Scottish Parliament next week, and then we will put our formal proposals to the UK government.

Image source, AFP

“If the prime minister refuses to engage on the terms of a referendum before Brexit takes place then she is effectively trying to block the people of Scotland having a choice over their future. That would be a democratic outrage.

“It is for the Scottish Parliament – not Downing Street – to determine the timing of a referendum, and the decision of the Scottish Parliament must be respected.

“It would be outrageous for the Scottish Parliament to be frozen out of the process.

“The Scottish government has a cast-iron democratic mandate to offer people a choice and that mandate must be fulfilled.

“Any bid by the UK government to block the people of Scotland from making a choice will be untenable, undemocratic and totally unsustainable – and clearly shows that the UK government recognises it is out of step with the Scottish people.”

BBC News Channel

Responding to the news that Mrs May will reject the call to hold a second independence referendum, Alex Salmond asserted that the prime minister would ultimately have to concede.

He told the News Channel: “It goes far beyond people’s choices on independence – it’s when Scotland as a nation has the right to determine its own future and there’s many people who may have questions about Scottish independence, but ask them the fundamental question ‘does Scotland have the right to decide?’ And, of course, the answer is ‘yes’, because anything else undermines Scottish nationhood and no self-respecting Scot is going to take a Westminster prime minister doing that.

“This miscalculation, this finger-wagging at Scotland, this Theresa May laying down the law ‘thou shalt do this, thou shalt do that’, it’s not going to work. It’s going to backfire spectacularly and I think Theresa May will rue the day that she edged towards telling the Scottish people what they can and cannot do in expressing their nationhood.”

A request to hold a Scottish independence referendum before the UK leaves the EU will be rejected "conclusively" by the UK government, the Scottish Tory leader has said.

Ruth Davidson was speaking after the UK prime minister said "now was not the time" for another vote on the issue.

Ms Davidson said there was no clear public or political consent for a vote.

The Scottish government said blocking a referendum would be a democratic outrage.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has called for a referendum to be held in the autumn of 2018 or the spring of the following year, to coincide with the conclusion of the UK's Brexit negotiations with the EU.

But Ms Davidson told a media conference in Edinburgh that the people of Scotland should have the right to see how the UK was working after leaving the EU before deciding whether or not they wanted independence.

• Independence in Europe?
• Follow the Scottish Conservative press conference

• Follow the Scottish Conservative press conference

Image source, bbc

Ms Davidson says she does not fear an independence referendum and says the economic case for independence collapse.

She says she dreads another independence referendum.

Mr Mundell says Nicola Sturgeon's proposition will be declined. 

Secretary for State for Scotland David Mundell says "we will consider every proposal put forward". 

"The one put forward on Monday does not meet the criteria and will be declined," he says. 

Mr Mundell says he has always said there could be another Scottish independence referendum but in this case it does not meet the criteria. 

Ms Davidson says she does not think there will be unanimous support at Holyrood next week.

Scottish Conservative Leader Ruth Davidson says the prime minister did say "now is not the time" because it would not be fair to call an independence referendum when the people of Scotland do not know the choice in front of them. 

Mr Mundell says an independence referendum would not, could not stop Scotland leaving the EU.

Ms Davidson says Scotland's Place in Europe acknowledges Scotland is leaving the EU.

She says the first minister is practicing a deceit on the people of Scotland.

Scottish Conservative Leader Ruth Davidson says there is a clear criteria which talks of fairness and consent.

Secretary for State for Scotland David Mundell says "Scotland is leaving the EU and the pretense that an independence referendum would stop that is absurd."

Mr Mundell says "this is a time for us to come together". 

He says "an independence referendum would not and could not stop Scotland leaving the EU". 

Ms Davidson says: "We are not putting a timetable on this."

She says she cannot accept a referendum when the people of Scotland cannot see the options put before them and there is no support for a vote.

The Scottish Labour leader says a vote would not offer a clear choice.

The survey comes as two polls look at the Scottish independence question .

• The  Scottish Daily Mail's poll of 1,019 adults, external , which was carried out between 8-13 March, suggested that when "don't knows" are discounted, people in Scotland would vote 53% to 47% to stay a part of the UK.

• The  Times Scotland's poll of 1,028 adults, external , which was carried out between 9-14 March, suggested that when "don't knows" are discounted, people in Scotland would vote 57% to 43% to stay a part of the UK.

Support for Scottish independence has reached its highest-ever level in an annual academic study.

But the Scottish Social Attitudes survey also suggested the popularity of the European Union had fallen.

The researchers said this suggested focusing on EU membership may not be the best way to swing more voters towards independence.

Image source, Getty Images

The survey has asked the same question about how Scotland should be governed every year since 1999.

It was carried out by  ScotCen Social Research, external  and has been published two days after First Minister Nicola Sturgeon confirmed she wants to ask the UK government for permission to hold a second referendum on Scottish independence.

• Do voters want a second referendum?

Mr Mundell says surely we would all want to get the best possible Brexit deal for the UK.

He goes on to say the SNP did not ask for the power to hold a referendum in the Smith Commission, external .

He says the suggestion has been made and we are not able to respond to that request.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced plans to seek a second Scottish independence referendum in 2018 or 2019. What do we know so far?