A furious war of words has erupted over reports Scottish ministers are gearing up for another independence referendum next year.

Labour and Conservative politicians called on Nicola Sturgeon’s government to “focus on the day job” instead of planning for another vote.

The Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie claimed the First Minister wanted Brexit negotiations to go as badly as possible “with one eye on independence”.

The Scottish Government described the reports as “nonsense” and insisted no decision had been taken on a second independence vote.

The SNP plans to launch a 'hearts and minds' campaign, designed to win sceptical Scots over to independence, within weeks.

But reports at the weekend suggested that Ms Sturgeon was also eyeing a 2017 poll.

Some nationalists believe an early vote could allow Brussels to negotiate an independent Scotland’s EU membership in tandem with the UK’s ‘Brexit’.

The move could mean Scots avoid leaving the EU, even temporarily, they argue.

The First Minister has previously indicated that she would push for another vote only when opinion polls showed a clear and sustained lead for Yes.

In the wake of the shock Brexit result a series of polls did suggest a spike in support for independence.

But a poll last month appeared to show backing for a separate Scotland had returned to around 2014 levels.

YouGov found that 53 per cent of Scots said they would vote No in an independence referendum, compared to 47 per cent who would vote Yes.

Scottish ministers cannot order another independence referendum as the technical right to hold a legal vote remains with Westminster.

In 2014 the UK Government 'leant’ 'Holyrood the ability to hold a binding poll, a decision ultimately made by the then Prime Minister David Cameron.

However, there is no guarantee his successor Theresa May will sign off on another vote, especially after Mr Cameron was forced to resign in ignominy last month hours after he lost another high-profile referendum.

However, many SNP insiders believe that the UK Government cannot afford to deny MSPs the right to hold a second vote, without driving up support for independence.

Scottish Conservative deputy leader Jackson Carlaw said that the SNP's belief that Scotland was better off in the EU than the UK was "plainly wrong.

"We export four times as much to Britain, and the voters will tell the SNP as much.

"The nationalists really have to drop their talk of a referendum rerun and focus on things that really matter."

A Labour spokesman said: "Given the major economic consequences of Brexit, the attainment gap in our classrooms and the unacceptable link between poverty and ill-health in Scotland, the SNP should focus on the day job. The SNP Government has taken its eye off the ball and the people of Scotland are paying the price.

...It's time for the SNP to start delivering for the people of Scotland."

Mr Rennie said that Nicola Sturgeon had given the Scottish Parliament and the country a guarantee that her negotiations with the EU were about protecting Scotland's interests, not about planting the seeds for another referendum.

"With one eye on independence, Nicola Sturgeon is setting the country up to fail in these negotiations,” he said. “People in Scotland should deserve better."

A spokesman for the First Minister described the reports as "nonsense".

He added: "There is nothing secret about the SNP's intentions - as the FM has repeatedly said, we will explore every option to protect Scotland's interests in the wake of the Brexit vote. To suggest that any such decision about an independence referendum has been reached is simply wrong."