Tory Defence Secretary Michael Fallon has said his government will block any attempt by Scots to have a second referendum on Scottish independence.

Speaking to The Herald, Fallon said his government would not grant a Section 30 order that would transfer the power to hold a vote to Holyrood.

“No. Forget it,” Fallon said. “The respect agenda is two-way. She is constantly asking us to respect the SNP Government but she has to respect the decision of Scotland to stay inside the UK in 2014 and the decision of the UK to leave the EU. Respect works two ways.”

The Tory also claimed Scotland had now passed “peak SNP”.

“They lost the referendum, they lost seats. There are other voices in Scotland now, not least Ruth Davidson’s”.

He then seemed to roll back on his refusal to grant the section 30 order when being interviewed on the BBC's Good Morning Scotland. 

A spokesman for First Minister Nicola Sturgeon accused Fallon and his Tory colleagues of boundless arrogance.

“They now think they can do what they want to Scotland and get away with it – not content with trying to drag us out of EU against our will with the support of just one MP out of 59 in Scotland, they are now suggesting they might try to block the nation's right to choose a different path.

“Any Tory bid to block a referendum would be a democratic outrage, but would only succeed in boosting support for both a referendum and for independence itself – something which the Prime Minister has previously indicated she understands all too well.

“Our mandate is unequivocal, with a manifesto commitment which makes explicitly clear that the Scottish Parliament should have the right to decide on an independence referendum if Scotland faces being taken out of the EU against our will. And no Tory Westminster government has a right to stand in the way of that.

“Michael Fallon’s comments betray how rattled the Tories are about Scotland – but his frantic backpedalling when pressed on the issue this morning shows that he understands what a disastrous strategy it would be for them to try and deny Scotland’s democratic right.”

A recent poll for Panelbase suggested support for a second referendum before early 2019 stands at 49.4 per cent.