Ruth Davidson has used her newfound influence in Westminster to tell Theresa May she must pursue a softer “open Brexit” which prioritises free trade over cutting immigration.

The Scottish Conservative leader met the Prime Minister before sitting in on a "political cabinet" meeting at No 10 after her 13 Scottish MPs effectively kept Mrs May in power.

She claimed afterwards there was a “clear recognition” that the government must seek a general consensus on how to leave the EU and must prioritise the economy.

The high-profile Remain campaigner has been tipped as a possible future prime minister. She wants the country to have the ability to trade in “as free a way as it does at the moment”, but accepts the UK may not remain in the single market.

Her position, putting the economy ahead of immigration, would flip Mrs May’s stated priorities in a “hard Brexit”, and is very far from the Prime Minister’s former position that “no deal is better than a bad deal”.

The bloc of 13 Scottish MPs will take the Tory whip, but Ms Davidson plans to use their influence in a hung parliament to change government policy on Brexit.