NICOLA Sturgeon has warned the UK Government would be "deeply irresponsible and reckless" if it risked a No-Deal Brexit.

The First Minister underlined she opposed leaving the EU on any model but that exiting without a possible agreement in the current pandemic would "compound" the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has insisted he will not be seeking an extension to the transition period which ends on December 31 this year and keeps the UK in the EU single market and customs union.

The UK has until the end of this month to ask for an extension which the EU have indicated they would accept.

"My views on Brexit are well known and my views on a No-Deal Brexit are well known. And my views on the UK Government ploughing ahead with a potential – which is a very high risk potential – of effectively a No-Deal Brexit at the end of this year regardless of everything else we are dealing with just now is deeply irresponsible and reckless and would make an already acutely difficult situation economically much much worse," she told the daily press briefing today.

"I would say very directly to the UK Government to think again and to do what I think the majority of people, those who supported Brexit and those who didn't would probably think it is sensible in the midst of a global health crisis which have become an economic crisis is not to compound or exacerbate that and to seek the extension to the transition period."

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She added: "Whether or not the UK Government will or will not do that, you would have to ask them. They certainly appear to be pretty resolute in their refusal to do that but I hope common sense prevails."

Experts have told Holyrood's External Affairs Committee the UK should seek the longest extension to the implementation period of two years.