A second referendum on Scottish independence seems inevitable, after Theresa May confirmed the UK is hurtling towards a Hard Brexit, ditching membership of the single market.

Speaking in London, the Prime Minister, for the first time since she became leader of the Conservative Party last July, tried to explain exactly what "Brexit means Brexit" actually means.

There would be no membership of the single market, the UK would try and negotiate a tariff free customs agreement with the rest of Europe.

May also confirmed she wanted a special deal for the banks in the City of London, that would give the UK “freedom to provide financial services across borders”.

Unsurprisingly, there would be an end to freedom of movement, with tighter controls on the EU nationals coming into the UK.

“You cannot control immigration overall when there is free movement from Europe ... Brexit must mean control of number of people coming to Britain from Europe,” May said.

She also promised a transitional deal, for after the two years of Brexit talks, to avoid the “disruptive cliff edge” of the UK automatically leaving Europe without deals in place. For the sake of Britain and the EU there would be a “phased process of implementation”.

That transitional period would not, May said, would be indefinite and would not become “permanent purgatory”.

“What I am proposing cannot mean membership of the single market,” May said. “European leaders have said many times, that membership means accepting the four freedoms of goods, capital, service and people. And being out of the EU but a member of the single market would mean complying with the rules and regulations that implement those freedoms.”

One of the most surprising parts of the speech was a promise to give MPs and Lords, a vote on the final deal. Despite probable opposition from the SNP and the Liberal Democrats, and some Labour MPs, it seems unlikely May will fail to get her deal passed.

If she does, then it would then almost certainly lead to a general election, with the Prime Minister seeking a mandate for the deal.

The Prime Minister promised there would be no power grab from Holyrood as powers are devolved from the EU to Westminster.

She also said she would read carefully the Scottish Government’s proposals for a separate deal that would allow Scotland to stay in the single market. Though it seems difficult to see how Nicola Sturgeon and May’s positions could be reconciled.

"We won't agree on everything," May said, "but I look forward to working with the administrations...to deliver a Brexit that works for the whole UK."

The Tory leader also promised to find a practical solution that allows the common travel area between Ireland and Northern Ireland to be maintained. There would be no hard border.

The Prime Minister continued: “One of the reasons that Britain’s democracy has been such a success for so many years is that the strength of our identity as one nation, the respect we show to one another as fellow citizens, and the importance we attach to our institutions means that when a vote has been held we all respect the result. The victors have the responsibility to act magnanimously. The losers have the responsibility to respect the legitimacy of the result. And the country comes together.”

She added: “So the country is coming together. Now we need to put an end to the division and the language associated with it – Leaver and Remainer and all the accompanying insults – and unite to make a success of Brexit and build a truly Global Britain.”

Back in December the First Minister previously warned a hard Brexit would lead to a second independence referendum.

Sturgeon had said: "If the real and substantial risks that Brexit poses to Scotland's interests cannot be mitigated within the UK, the option of choosing a better future through independence should be open to the Scottish people".

Immediately after May's speech, SNP MP Angus MacNeil tweeted: “‘Britain (ie UK) will not be leaving Europe only the EU’" ..well pretty soon soon Scotland will be leaving the UK but not leaving Britain!!

The party’s deputy leader Angus Robertson tweeted: “Good News: UK PM will consider Scottish Government priorities. Bad News: She ruled out single European Market membership.”

Labour’s Ian Murray wrote: “Scottish & Tory nationalists taking our country 2 brink 4 ideological constitutional politics.PM & FM battling 2 c who can make us worst off”

While Tory Secretary of State for Scotland David Mundell ‏tweeted: “@theresa_may commits to delivering a Brexit deal that will work for the whole of the UK.”