NICOLA Sturgeon is relentlessly using the Brexit process to “leverage the argument for Scottish independence” but Scotland is firmly rejecting her strategy, David Mundell claims today.

The Scottish Secretary described the First Minister as a “prisoner of her own party” on the great political dilemma facing her; if or when to call a second independence referendum.

He claimed Alex Salmond was “obsessed by independence, obsessed by having another referendum” and that he was a “backseat driver for Nicola Sturgeon; constantly trying to wind the situation up”.

Mr Mundell was speaking ahead of the start this weekend of the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham.

Mr Mundell said he and Brexit Secretary David Davis would give evidence on Britain leaving the EU before MSPs on Holyrood’s external affairs committee; a date is yet to be confirmed.

With the issue of Brexit set to dominate the Tories’ annual gathering in Birmingham – Theresa May will lead a session on the issue on Sunday – Mr Mundell insisted Britain was seeking a “bespoke” deal and that previous rules did not apply because of the UK’s unique position; the first member to decide to leave the EU.

“I don’t think we are restricted by what has happened previously. I don’t think we are restricted by existing structures because, ultimately, the EU is a political organisation; the 27 other member states can sign off whatever deal they believe to be appropriate in the circumstances of the UK leaving.”

In July, the secretary of state gave a clear sign that he was in favour of a soft Brexit, saying that he wanted the best deal for Britain and Scotland “and that deal involves clearly being part of the single market”.

When this was put to him, he said: “What is essential is that Scotland and the UK can continue our trading relationship with the EU. I’m not going to go down this route of setting semantic tests of what a specific deal[means] because what is ultimately important is the trading relationship.”

Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi yesterday insisted Britain would not have full access to the single market if it curbed immigration, saying it would be "impossible" for British people to have more rights than others outside the EU.

Mr Mundell was dismissive. “What we are going to hear over the next two years are numerous quotes from numerous people across the EU...all sorts of sounds off. What is important is what happens within the negotiation and the deal that is finally reached.”

While the borders MP insisted he wanted a “Team UK” approach and had had constructive meetings with Michael Russell, the Scottish Government minister liaising on the Brexit process, he believed Ms Sturgeon and other leading SNP figures were pursuing a shameless strategy to use it to further their overriding cause of independence.

“I’m very, very disappointed that at every turn what seems to be the approach of the Scottish Government is just looking for the next row,” he declared.

“What we have already seen is for three months an attempt to use Brexit to push independence. The FM very disappointingly mentioned independence within three hours of the[EU] result being declared and has spoken about it every single day since June 23…

“There’s no doubt that there has been an attempt to use Brexit to leverage the argument for independence but it has failed to resonate with the public in Scotland. All the polls show there has been no increase in the level of support for independence and what is very striking is there has been a very significant increase in support for not having another independence referendum.”

He argued hundreds of thousands of Scots like himself voted to remain in the EU but did not do so on the basis that their votes would then be used as a “catalyst to restart the independence argument”.

The Scottish secretary claimed: “It’s extremely disingenuous for the First Minister to suggest that people who voted to remain, that their position was if they didn’t get what they wanted, they would immediately want to see the independence debate reopened. We didn’t; we don’t.

“We want to see the UK and Scottish governments working together to get the best possible Brexit deal for Scotland and we want to see it done in a positive way and not in a constant way of looking for rows, arguments and differences.”

Mr Mundell was adamant most Scots wanted the FM to take the “toxic, divisive” issue of a second independence poll off the table, to “buckle down” and get on with the day job.

But he added: “That’s what I hope she does but I can’t say I’m optimistic she will. Because she is a prisoner of her party and people like Mr Salmond; she will have to keep juggling the situation and conveying that there’s an ongoing possibility of another referendum.”

A spokesman for the First Minister said: "The people of Scotland voted overwhelmingly to remain in the EU, and it is a democratic outrage that David Mundell and the Tories are trying to drag Scotland to the EU exit door.

"Indeed, David Mundell and senior Tories repeatedly warned about the economic consequences of leaving the EU - and nobody is fooled by these Born-again Brexiteers and their ridiculous attempts to now pretend Brexit will be fantastic.

"?We have repeatedly made clear that we are willing to work with the UK Government to protect Scotland's EU status, but after three months of chaos and confusion, neither we nor anyone else have the slightest clue what their intentions are."