THE SNP would “sell their Granny on Amazon” for a few more votes for independence, Willie Rennie said last night, as he accused the Nationalists of being ready to “sell out Europe”.

The Scottish Liberal Democrat leader said the SNP had watered down its commitment to the EU in order to hold on to Yes voters who backed Leave in last year’s Brexit referendum.

Instead of continuing to argue for Europe, the SNP had “compromised” their message, by trying to move onto different ground in anticipation of a second independence referendum.

Nicola Sturgeon said a second referendum was “highly likely” because of the Brexit vote.

However Mr Rennie said the First Minister and her SNP colleagues had since changed tack, downplaying the importance of Europe, in order to shore up support for independence.

In a speech to the David Hume Institute in Edinburgh, he said: “Independence is not the economic or the emotional answer to Brexit. I will not compromise on deep rooted principles of internationalism, openness and liberalism.

“Desperate to keep the significant branch of Brexiteers in their own party in line, the SNP are prepared to sell out Europe to get their dream of independence.

“But in doing so they are compromising with an isolationist agenda. The SNP would sell their granny on Amazon if it would win a few more votes for independence.

“So the risk of their proposal is that it leaves Scotland outside the UK and outside the EU. What a disaster that would be."

Urging a vote on the final form of the Brexit deal, adding: “Our grandchildren will be perplexed that we did not take our time and ask ourselves the question if we really wanted this."

The SNP said Mr Rennie was helping “right-wing Tories who want to drag Scotland over a hard Brexit cliff edge, with catastrophic consequences for jobs and livelihoods".

A spokesman said: "The SNP will not join that sell-out, but stand up for Scotland and retaining our place in the world's biggest single market. Independence must be an option to do that."