DAVID Mundell has been lambasted by the SNP for suggesting Nicola Sturgeon’s party is only “pretending” to be opposed to a no-deal Brexit.

The Scottish Secretary was criticised for his remarks days after the Conservatives refused to back a move by the SNP at Westminster aimed at ruling out a no deal withdrawal from the EU for good.

Westminster SNP leader Ian Blackford’s amendment to a UK Government motion on the PM’s Brexit strategy was supported by Labour and the LibDems among others but was defeated on Wednesday when the Tories refused to back it.

Speaking today at a Conservative party convention in Paisley, Mundell will attack the First Minister for promoting independence amid the Brexit crisis, and will describe the SNP as “saboteurs of the Union”.

“Even if there was a decision taken today by the UK Government not to leave the EU, independence would not be off the table,” he will tell Tories at the event.

“There would always be some perceived slight or some manufactured grievance, for which independence is the only answer.

“For Sturgeon, Brexit has always been a tool to exploit for achieving her independence fantasy, of going down in history as the SNP leader who broke up the United Kingdom. A way to cause, as Ian Blackford puts it, ‘maximum disruption’.

“And we know as soon as one avenue closes down that they will simply look for another. The SNP have always been the saboteurs of the Union and always will be.”

He will add: “They pretend to oppose no deal, yet no deal is their real aim. They hope it will cause chaos, confusion and boost support for independence. Everything else that they do or say on Brexit has been a publicity stunt. Nicola Sturgeon has always seen a no-deal Brexit as the best backdrop to campaign for independence.”

His speech comes after UK ministers told the BBC they are preparing to reject any call from the First Minister for the power to hold another independence referendum. In the context of Brexit – which experts say will cause severe damage to the UK and to Scotland’s economy – one minister reportedly said: “Once you’ve hit the iceberg, you’re all on it together”.

The remark caused fury among SNP supporters with activists angry that Scotland, which did not vote for Brexit, should be made to suffer its negative consequences without the opportunity to pursue an alternative future as an independent state in the EU.

A SNP spokesman said: “David Mundell is a total embarrassment to the office he holds – ironically there is no better ‘saboteur’ of the union than himself. This speech is pure fantasy – the Tories are obviously rattled and attempting everything to deflect from their pathetic handling of Brexit.”

He added: “It’s obvious the Tories have no higher ambition for Scotland than meekly accepting whatever Brexit disaster the UK ends up in. Or as one of Mr Mundell’s minister colleagues put it – ‘Once you’ve hit the iceberg, you’re all on it together’.”