NICOLA Sturgeon has said she believes a no-deal Brexit may now be the “most likely outcome” of the UK’s negotiations with the EU.

The First Minister told MSPs she was “increasingly concerned” that Theresa May was “shutting down” negotiating space with EU leaders.

Speaking to Holyrood’s committee conveners, she said: “Almost with every day that passes right now, instead of the UK Government opening up negotiating space that increases the possibility of reaching a deal that then can attract political support, they seem to be closing down that negotiating space and digging themselves deeper into the hole they’ve got themselves in.

“I am increasingly concerned, literally with every day that passes right now, that the prospect of a no deal is becoming ever greater.

“As things stand just now I think no deal may actually be the most likely outcome, and that is deeply concerning.

“Given that we are two years on from the vote, five months away from exit, it is staggering incompetence that the Government has allowed the situation to get to this stage.

“I think Brexit is frankly shaping up to be the biggest failure of government policy and handling of a situation that any of us have ever seen perhaps in our entire lifetimes.”

Sturgeon said she hoped that Article 50 could be extended.

Brexit negotiations have stumbled over the Northern Ireland “backstop” intended to guarantee there is no return to a hard border with the Republic of Ireland.

Sturgeon’s comments came as new revelations about the Government’s plans for a no-deal Brexit were exposed, including measures to secure supplies of food and medicines from the continent, over fears of chaos on the English Channel crossing.

Leaked Cabinet papers obtained by The Times also indicated the transition period during which the UK will remain tied to Brussels could turn into a “long-running” arrangement lasting years. Though Downing Street played that down, saying it was “nothing more than a partial reflection of advice to ministers, and not of decisions taken”.

That should infuriate Brexiteers in her party, however, May seemed to easily survive a meeting with her backbenchers.

Earlier, following on from reports that the chair of the committee of backbench Tory MPs, Graham Brady, had received or is close to having received the 48 letters that would automatically launch a leadership contest, May’s former de facto deputy and key ally, Damian Green, warned his colleagues that it would be deeply foolish for them to try and oust her.

“It would be seen as an act of inward-looking self-indulgence by people out there who know we are at am important stage of the negotiations. This is exactly the wrong time to be doing these kind of things.”

He added: “We all know that when you enter into a complex negotiation nobody is going to get 100% of what they want, and I think we all just have to be realistic and pragmatic about it.”

Over the weekend, anonymous rebels had claimed the Prime Minister was in the “killing zone” and that she should take her “own noose” to last night’s meeting.

But last night the Prime Minister was given a warm reception, with Tory MPs loudly thumping desks.

Leaving the room after the meeting, former Home Secretary Amber Rudd said May spoke “frankly and honestly from the heart about why she was doing this and why it mattered”.

Another MP told press: “She’s not going to be replaced in the short term...sorry to be boring.”