NICOLA Sturgeon’s engagement in the Brexit process is just a sham exercise and is being used as a “lever for independence,” Alistair Carmichael, the former Scottish secretary, has suggested.

Speaking at the Liberal Democrat conference in Brighton, the MP for Orkney and Shetland claimed that while the First Minister might profess to be examining all the options to keep Scotland’s EU status, her real goal was to use the Brexit process to break up Britain.

READ MORE: Theresa May criticises Nicola Sturgeon over independence

“We know the one thing about which every Scottish Nationalist cares more than anything else is getting independence for Scotland. That is the prism through which every issue, every political challenge is seen; this is no different,” he said.

Ms Sturgeon has stressed how she is exploring every option to ensure Scotland retains its EU status following the June 23 referendum vote. She has suggested the formation of a "coalition" with like-minded ministers across the UK to help secure a "soft exit" from the EU.

Asked if he believed the SNP leader and her colleagues were sincere about looking at all the options for maintaining Scotland’s status in the EU, Mr Carmichael said: “They’re sincere in as much as they look at the options but they see them through the prism of getting independence and the test they apply is not what is best for our future in the EU, our economy, health, education or policing, it’s what makes independent more likely.”

READ MORE: Theresa May criticises Nicola Sturgeon over independence

He added: “They have always believed all our ills could be solved by drawing a line on a map and that what happens to people in other parts of the UK and, arguably, beyond the borders of the UK is of secondary importance. As a liberal I’m an internationalist, you will never persuade me that Nationalism, which has never ended well in any part of the world at any time in history, is the way to see my country go.”