A Foreign Office Minister has poured cold water on Nicola Sturgeon’s claim Scotland could get a special deal to stay in the EU as the UK leaves.

David Lidington, the Europe Minister, said the “clear legal position” was that Scotland has to exit the European Union with the rest of the UK.

Instead of trying to find a special deal, he urged the First Minister to help the UK Government get the best possible trade agreement with the EU.

Ms Sturgeon last night insisted that the position was not clear and tweeted that she remained determined that “Tories won’t drag us out of EU against our will.” She has threatened to stage a second independence referendum unless Scotland is kept in the EU somehow.

But Mr Lidington’s opinion is in line with that of Mariano Rajoy, the Spanish Prime Minister, who stated last week that Scotland would have to leave with the rest of the UK.

A series of other European leaders, including the French President Francois Hollande, said the EU would only negotiate with the UK Government as the relevant member state.