THERESA May’s “economically catastrophic” Brexit plans have made a second independence referendum “all but inevitable”, Nicola Sturgeon has said.

The First Minister said the confirmation that the UK was ending its membership of the EU single market had “undoubtedly” brought a new vote on the constitution closer.

In an interview with the BBC, she agreed that the move away from single market membership made another vote "all but inevitable", and added: "I think that is very likely the case."

Former First Minister Alex Salmond has called the single market a “red line” for the SNP.

Sketch: Mother Theresa turns to Lady Macbeth to warn Eurocrats not to turn Britain down

The First Minister said it was “a point of democratic principle" that people should be offered a different choice to fundamental changes which she did not believe were in Scotland’s interests.

She said: "I am not prepared to allow Scotland's interests to be simply cast aside. I'm not prepared for Scotland to be taken down a path which I firmly believe to be damaging not just to our economy but to the very kind of society that we are."

The comments were harder than her initial reaction to the 12-point plan laid out by Mrs May, when she said Scotland’s being ignored had made a referendum “more likely”.

The Scottish Greens, whose votes given Ms Sturgeon the Holyrood majority she needs for another referendum, said Mrs May’s speech made a second vote now look “unavoidable”.

Read more: Theresa May warns EU members 'no deal for Britain is better than a bad deal for Britain'

In her first detailed speech on the UK’s Brexit objectives, Mrs May said the UK would end its membership of the EU single market in order to gain greater control over immigration.

She said the UK might also leave the customs union of common tariffs across the continent.

She stressed the UK wanted to maximise trade with the EU, and wanted the EU to prosper.

However she also threatened to walk away from forthcoming talks on Brexit, saying a bad deal for Britain would be worse than no deal at all.

Read more: Think-tank expert warns SNP’s post-Brexit plan ‘almost impossible’

She also promised that the Commons and House of Lords, in common with every other EU parliament, would have a vote on the final Brexit deal.

Ms Sturgeon last month published a detailed proposal for Scotland to stay in the EU single market, predicated on the UK sacrificing some of its demands in negotiations with the other 27 EU nations in order to arrange a bespoke side-deal for Scotland.

However Mrs May’s speech, with its repeated references to unity, suggested a special arrangement for Scotland was unlikely.

The Prime Minister said it was vital to “strengthen the precious union between the four nations of the United Kingdom” and avoid internal barriers, such as those which might be created by a separate trade and customs arrangement for Scotland.

Read more: David Davis says Brexit will happen even if MPs vote down deal

She said she was considering Ms Sturgeon’s proposal, but added “we won't agree on everything”, and said that when powers were repatriated from Brussels, she wanted to ensure that “the right powers” to the devolved administrations.

“As we do so, our guiding principle must be to ensure that - as we leave the European Union - no new barriers to living and doing business within our own Union are created.”

She also referred to maintaining “the integrity of the UK immigration system”, despite the partial devolution of immigration and other powers being essential to Ms Sturgeon’s plan.

The First Minister said the UK’s Brexit plan was not being driven by the rational interests of the country, but “by the obsessions of the hard-right of the Tory party”.

She said the Prime Minister’s hint that the UK could rewrite its economic model to become a “low wage, low tax, de-regulated economy” would mean a race to the bottom for workers, leaving everyone but the very wealthiest worse off..

Read more: Theresa May's Brexit speech in full

She said the SNP Government would respond in an “orderly and responsible way”.

But she added: “One thing should remain crystal clear – the Tory Government cannot be allowed to act against Scotland’s wishes and our interests, and reject all attempts at compromise.

“It seems the Westminster Tory Government now think they can do anything to Scotland and get away with it. They must start to understand how wrong they are.

The UK Government cannot be allowed to take us out of the EU and the single market, regardless of the impact on our economy, jobs, living standards and our reputation as an open, tolerant country, without Scotland having the ability to choose between that and a different future.

“With her comments today, the Prime Minister has only succeeded in making that choice more likely.”

Scottish Green MSP Ross Greer said the speech was “confused, contradictory and dangerous”, and urged Mrs May to say if Holyrood would have a vote on the “final agreement”.

Herald View: The grim reality on exit from the EU

He said: “These vague UK government announcements do nothing more than reinforce that an independence referendum looks unavoidable. The angry, isolated Britain the Tories clearly have in mind isn’t something I believe most people here want to be a part of.”

However Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson said Mrs May’s statement had been “clear and reasonable” and left the SNP with “no justification” for a second referendum.

She urged Ms Sturgeon to work with Downing Street to get the best deal for the whole UK.

She said: “The Prime Minister has spelled out that she will prioritise the protection of our own union of nations, respecting the vote that we took in Scotland to remain part of the UK.

"The SNP should have the good grace to accept that many of its own demands - including the protection of workers’ rights, and the protection of rights for EU citizens in Britain and cross-border cooperation on tackling crime - have been recognised by the UK Government.

"Ever since the Brexit vote, the SNP has tried to use the result as an excuse for holding a divisive second referendum on independence.

“It has failed to persuade people in Scotland of that case. Now that the UK Government has spelled out this plan of action, that case has collapsed altogether.

“There is no justification whatsoever for that threat to be maintained.

“Nicola Sturgeon should now rule a second referendum out and instead work to get the best deal out of Brexit for all of us across the UK.”

Iain Macwhirter: Scraps on table after madness of an EU exit

Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale echoed the First Minister by saying Mrs May’s speech had been designed to appease the Tory right wing, rather than help the nation.

She also said it had further jeopardised the Union by “furthering the sort of divisions the SNP thrives on”, but said a second referendum would be a mistake.

She said: “We were promised an outward-looking vision of a reformed nation, but instead we got a plan for a more insular nation. This isn't what many Leave supporters voted for.

"We are already a divided country, and after this speech those divisions will increase.

“The wrong reaction to this speech would be to call for another referendum on independence. “It's illogical to react to the UK leaving the EU single market by calling for Scotland to leave the UK single market too. Remaining in the UK is more important to Scotland than being part of the EU. Scotland's economy, jobs and public finances are all boosted by remaining in the UK.”

Scottish LibDem leader Willie Rennie said the Tories were “hell bent on a hard Brexit”, regardless of its impact on millions of people, higher prices and greater instability.

He said: “Withdrawing from the Single Market and the Customs Union is not in our country’s interest nor was it what people voted for on the 23rd June. The Tories are turning Brexit into a democratic stitch up and this speech shows how vital it is that the public be given a say in a Brexit Deal Referendum.”

Scottish and UK ministers are due to hold a regular meeting to discuss Brexit on Thursday