Nicola Sturgeon is planning an “endless” independence campaign to try and force Theresa May to back down over a second referendum, it was claimed after she won a Scottish Parliament vote giving her permission to start talks.

David Mundell, the Scottish Secretary, ruled out any referendum until 2020 at the earliest and for as long as 2023 by stating that negotiations could not even start until after Brexit is completed.

But Ms Sturgeon announced she will make a “formal approach” in the next few days to Downing Street for immediate talks and warned she would next month outline steps “to progress the will of parliament” if her demand was rebuffed.

Ruth Davidson, the Scottish Tory leader, said the SNP leader has given up governing Scotland and “is now intent of running an endless campaign for another vote that people don't want.”

It is not thought Ms Sturgeon will try and call an advisory ‘wildcat’ referendum or a snap election, meaning a concerted effort to whip up support among Scots for another independence vote is her best chance of forcing Mrs May to back down.

The warning about the First Minister’s tactics came after MSPs voted by a margin on 69 to 59 to give her the authority to enter discussions with the UK Government over transferring the powers for Holyrood to arrange a second referendum. SNP and Green MSPs gave her a majority.