The UK appears to be heading for a so-called "hard Brexit" with links to Brussels limited to trade agreements, according to a Scottish minister.

Fiona Hyslop, who holds the external affairs portfolio, has expressed her concern about the current direction Britain was taking and said the Edinburgh government would be seeking to "shift that position".

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She was speaking as Labour demanded the UK Government spell out its plan for negotiating Britain's divorce from the European Union.

Image: Fiona Hyslop has expressed concern about the UK's current position on Brexit

With the Tory administration remaining tight-lipped on its Brexit plans, shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry said it had no mandate to "do whatever the hell they like with our country,"


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Meanwhile, a think-tank has warned Brexit was likely to leave much of the UK's population in the regions "considerably poorer" than average areas in other comparable member states.

The Centre for European Reform (CER) said the problems of a London-focused economy, poor skill levels, weak infrastructure and a lack of affordable housing were likely to be made worse by leaving the EU, leaving poorer regions in an even worse state.

Scotland recently appointed its own representative to take part in talks with Brexit Secretary David Davis to establish a common UK position under which talks with the EU might take place.

The Scottish Government has pointed out voters north of the border had backed staying in the bloc at the June referendum by 62% to 38%.

The SNP administration wants to maintain close ties with Brussels.

But speaking after meeting France's European affairs minister in Paris, Ms Hyslop said: "I'm worried just now that the UK looks as if its heading to a hard Brexit.

"However those internal discussions with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have only just started, so we will try and shift that position."

More than three months after the referendum in which the UK voted by 52 to 48% to quit the EU, Theresa May's government has revealed little about its Brexit plans and has refused to give a "running commentary".

There was also scant details during the campaign about what the UK's relationship would be with the EU in the event of a leave vote.

Ms Thornberry, speaking at her party's annual conference in Liverpool, said: "They had that referendum but in my view it does not give them a democratic mandate to put themselves into a locked room and do whatever the hell they like with our country.

"It is about time they started telling us what their negotiating position is going to be ... because we, the opposition, want to scrutinise it."

Jeremy Corbyn, who was re-elected Labour leader after a bruising leadership campaign, has faced criticism for not doing enough to persuade Labour voters to back remaining in the EU.

Labour saw many of its traditional heartlands back Brexit, with immigration and its impact on jobs and services a central concern among voters.

Ms Thornberry acknowledged Labour needed more time to establish its stance on Britain's future relations with the EU.