Nicola Sturgeon has praised the “quality of analysis and argument” in a speech by Tony Blair after he claimed the case for Scottish independence had become "much more credible" since the Brexit vote.

The former Labour prime minister warned the break-up of the UK was "back on the table”, while adding that he did not want Scotland to become independent.

In a speech for Open Britain, which is campaigning against a hard Brexit outside the single market, he called on pro-Europeans to "rise up" and persuade the British people to change their minds.

Mr Blair, an unlikely ally for the SNP, whose members have previously called him to be tried for war crimes over the 2003 invasion of Iraq, added: "There is the possibility of the break-up of the UK, narrowly avoided by the result of the Scottish referendum, but now back on the table, but this time with a context much more credible for the independence case.”

Speaking afterwards he said he was in favour of Scotland remaining in the UK, pointing out that its single market with England was “of far greater importance” than its interaction with the rest of Europe.