SCOTTISH Labour leader Kezia Dugdale has written to Theresa May asking for Scotland to get a special Brexit deal.

In the missive to the Prime Minister, Dugdale called for Scotland to “retain tariff and non-tariff barrier free access to the single market for Scottish exporters, and allow Scottish firms to continue to recruit workers from elsewhere in the EU, and Scottish workers to continue living and working elsewhere in the EU”.

The Scottish Labour leader also tells May that First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is “ready to disengage” from the Brexit negotiation process.

Dugdale goes on: “As I have made clear in recent months, Scottish Labour believes that a more federal UK will help to fix the failures of politics that led many people to vote for Brexit in the first place.

“Negotiating a distinct Brexit deal for Scotland — and indeed other UK regions — would be a signal of intent on your part, symbolic of your willingness to explore alternative constitutional structures that increase democratic accountability and place the UK on a surer footing.“ The SNP point out that much of what Dugdale proposes is similar to what the Scottish Government put forward last December in Scotland’s Place In Europe – a document, they say, has had little response from Downing Street.

An SNP spokesman said: “There was a 62 per cent vote for Remain in the EU referendum in Scotland and the Scottish Government offered a big compromise to the UK Government. This would reluctantly mean Scotland leaving the EU if we stayed in the single market.

“But the UK Government is refusing to listen even to this compromise. We cannot drift along for the next two years and hope for the best. We face the prospect of right-wing Tory governments until at least 2030 and being dragged out of the EU and single market with all the damage to our economy and society that will cause.

“The next two years will determine the kind of country Scotland will be. So, once the terms of Brexit are clear the people of Scotland should have the final say on their future. That’s why the First Minister set out a plan to give the people of Scotland a choice between Brexit and becoming an independent country.

“If Scotland’s people can be ignored on an issue as important as our membership of the EU and single market, then it is clear their voice and interests will be ignored at any time and on any issue.”

Meanwhile, Jeremy Corbyn has broken ranks with colleagues north of the Border, by saying he would back a referendum on Scottish independence.

Though he said he does not believe a second referendum is a good idea, he said if Holyrood calls for one Westminster should not block it.

He said: “If that is what the Scottish Parliament wants then I think that it would be wrong for Westminster to say to Scotland ‘well we gave you this devolution but sorry, this is where it stops’.”

When asked if that meant he would back another referendum on independence, he said: “The principle of having it, yes, of course. One has to discuss the questions of timing and the date of it.”

MSPs will vote tomorrow on whether or not to give the Scottish Government a mandate to request the UK Government grant a Section 30 order, the necessary powers to hold a referendum.

Labour will vote against the motion.