Nicola Sturgeon’s Brexit Minister has been caught out making inaccurate claims to Brussels diplomats about the level of Scottish support for the EU and suggestions of non-existent talks with the Spanish government.

Mike Russell used a speech to EU officials to portray Scotland as separate from the rest of the UK, claiming that five million Scots had demonstrated in the EU referendum that “they do not want to give up their European citizenship.”

He also claimed that the only MSPs to vote for Brexit were four Tories and, pressed specifically about whether talks were taking placed with Spain over a special deal for Scotland, reassured the audience that “we would not be talking in these terms unless we were having conversations.”

But the Tories accused him of attempting to paint “a completely false picture” to a “sympathetic audience”, pointing out that fewer than 1.7 million Scots voted to Remain compared to more than a million who backed Leave.

The Telegraph disclosed that Alex Neil, a former Scottish Government Minister who served in Cabinet with Mr Russell, voted Leave and his allegations that other SNP MSPs have approached him confirming they did the same.

The Spanish Government further undermined Mr Russell’s claims by confirming they had held no talks about a special Brexit deal for Scotland. A senior government source said the EU has been clear there would be no negotiations until the UK triggers Article 50.