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The Scottish first minister warned the "UK will crash out of the EU with no deal or a very bad deal" as she revealed she was U-turning on her plans to drag Scotland out of the Union to instead focus on getting the best deal for a Brexit Britain. She told MSPs at Holyrood today: "We will not seek to introduce the legislation for an independence referendum immediately. "Instead we will, in good faith, redouble our efforts and put our shoulders to the wheel in seeking to influence the Brexit talks in a way that protects Scotland's interests." Leader of the Scottish Conservatives, Ruth Davidson, has torn into Ms Sturgeon as she has said that no questions raised by Brexit could be solved by “ripping” Scotland out of the UK. Speaking at Holyrood, Ms Davidson said Scottish voters did not want an independence vote any time in the near future.

GETTY•REUTERS Sturgeon has dropped her plans for a second referendum

Ms Davidson said: “Most people simply don’t want this brought back any time soon and none of the questions that are raised by Brexit are answered by ripping Scotland out of our own union of nations, our biggest markets and our closest friends. “I’m afraid to say today’s statement will fail to give any assurance to those people that this first minister is listening to them. “Again, she makes virtually no mention of her domestic responsibilities. “Instead she appears to be in denial about her mistakes over this past year and as a result is leaking credibility and confidence in her leadership by the hour."

We will not seek to introduce the legislation for an independence referendum immediately Nicola Sturgeon

Nicola Sturgeon said she would instead "redouble" her efforts to keep the country in the single market following its exit from the European Union (EU). "We will seek to build maximum support around the proposals set out in the paper that we published in December - Scotland’s Place in Europe - to keep us in the single market, with substantial new powers for this parliament. "We will do everything we can to influence the UK in that direction. "And then at the end of this period of negotiation with the EU - likely to be around next autumn - when the terms of Brexit will be clearer, we will come back to parliament to set out our judgment on the best way forward at that time, including our view on the precise timescale for offering people a choice."

Sturgeon's best & worst fashion moments Wed, April 5, 2017 A look at the ever changing style of Nicola Sturgeon Play slideshow Getty Images 1 of 16 Nicola Sturgeon looks on during an event at Stanford University

SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT TV Sturgeon said she will focus on the UK staying in the single market

The SNP leader revealed she had "hundreds" of conversations with people who told her they were tired of the uncertainty created by Brexit and making big political decisons. She said: "I want to reassure people that our proposal is not for a referendum now, or before there is sufficient clarity about the options. "But rather to give them a choice at the end of the Brexit process, when that clarity has emerged. "They want greater clarity about Brexit to emerge first, and they want to be able to measure that up against clarity about the options Scotland would have for securing a different relationship with Europe.

GETTY Ms Davidson said Scottish voters did not want an independence vote any time in the near future