Ian Blackford has insisted that the UK Government's handling of Brexit has provided Scotland with a mandate for a second independence referendum that Westminster must accept.

The SNP’s Westminster leader also called for the opposition to unite for a no-confidence vote against the Tories while reinforcing his party’s support for a People’s Vote.

Speaking in the House of Commons during the withdrawal agreement debate, he said the SNP would not “sit back” and let Scotland leave the EU despite voting overwhelmingly in favour of Remain.

"In 2014, the people of Scotland were told, if we stayed within the United Kingdom, that Scotland would remain a member of the European Union ... That we would be respected as a partner of the United Kingdom,” he said.

“What do we find? We find that we aren't leaving the UK, we find that the UK is taking us out of the European Union against our will.

“The Scottish National Party won't sit back and allow the people of Scotland to be dragged out of the European Union against its will. Scotland is a European nation, we will remain a European nation."

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Asked if he agreed Scotland should be independent within the EU, he said: "We will work constructively across party to try and save the UK from Brexit.

"When we get to the end of that process, if there is an economic threat to jobs and prosperity in Scotland, then it is very clear that the Scottish Parliament has a mandate to call an independence referendum.

"There is a majority in the Scottish Parliament to hold such a referendum. Just a few months ago, this House voted to accept the claim of right for Scotland.

"If the Scottish Parliament comes forward with a request for a Section 30 Authority then this House must allow the people of Scotland to determine their own future.

"Here we have a parliament in London silenced by this government and the devolved administrations silenced and ignored."

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As a member of the Privy Council, Blackford said he had seen details of the impact of a no-deal Brexit but was sworn to secrecy and urged the Government to publish the "sobering" details.

The MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber also dubbed Jeremy Corbyn "the midwife of Brexit" amid a scathing attack for his failure to call a no-confidence vote in the Government.

Blackford said: "The leader of the opposition has become the midwife of Brexit. The leader of the opposition is letting the Government off the hook.

"He has it in his gift to bring a forward a no confidence motion that will test the will of the House and, crucially, will allow his party to move onto the issue of a People's Vote.

"Yesterday's stunt was an embarrassment - the SNP and others sought to amend his motion and I am asking him to do what he spectacularly failed to do yesterday and bring forward a motion of no confidence in the Government."

READ MORE: WATCH: SNP MP calls for a motion of no confidence in Labour