The Secretary of State for Scotland has claimed there is “no mandate” for a second referendum on independence.
David Mundell drew a line in the sand on the constitutional issue as he urged rival political parties north of the border to focus on using sweeping new tax and spend powers.
Scotland’s only Tory MP hailed multi-million pound city deals for Aberdeen and Inverness as examples of the progress that can be achieved when the UK and Scottish governments work together.
But the SNP’s John Swinney said his party would not “quietly forget” that the Tory Government is “betraying promises” to the people of Scotland.
Speaking in Edinburgh, Mr Mundell said: “My position is quite clear, and the prime minister’s position is quite clear, that there is no mandate for a second referendum in the SNP manifesto.
“The votes that many people cast in Scotland’s election were votes to ensure that the SNP government did not have a majority and were not in a position to seek to take forward a second referendum.
“If the first minister is listening to the people of Scotland, she will stop talking about a second referendum and get on with governing Scotland.”
Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson has already suggested Nicola Sturgeon’s plans for a second referendum on independence were “utterly shredded” by her failure to secure a majority.
The first minister, however, has insisted she will press on with this summer’s plan to convince more people to back separation.
The Scottish Government has persistently called for greater representation in international negotiations, particularly in European Union (EU) fishery talks in which it has a major interest.
Mr Mundell said: “We are agreeing a new protocol with the Scottish Government about representation within the EU and broader representation in international circumstances.
“There isn’t a time during the previous coalition government or this government where Scottish ministers were excluded from having a role in discussions.
“They have played part of the UK team, plus in the most recent discussions the Scottish Government has actually welcomed the outcome, so I think it’s perfectly possible to achieve a collegiate outcome in relation to getting a good result for Scotland in UK fishing discussions.”
Mr Swinney said: “The SNP will always work together with other parties when it is in the interests of the people of Scotland – but it’s disingenuous of David Mundell to pretend that the political differences between our governments can be so easily brushed aside.
“The Tories are cutting the Scottish Government’s budget by 10%, betraying promises made to shipbuilders on the Clyde and are slashing support for the renewables industry – potentially jeopardising the future of a booming Scottish industry.
“We’ll work with the UK Government in Scotland’s interests where we can, but the SNP will always stand up to the Tories when they’re wrong.
“That is exactly why we were re-elected with an unprecedented third term mandate just over a week ago with more than twice the vote of Ruth Davidson’s Tories.”
