SCOTTISH Tory constitution spokesman Adam Tomkins claims the SNP's plans to keep Scotland in the single market would "destroy the Union" and lead to independence.

Nicola Sturgeon has set out plans for powers to be devolved over areas such as employment rights, business regulation and immigration aimed at allowing Scotland to remain in the single market even if the rest of the UK leaves the bloc.

However, Tomkins dismissed suggestions the plan was a compromise put forward by the SNP and said it would instead inevitably lead to independence.

The Tory MSP made the claim at a Law Society fringe meeting at the Scottish Conservative conference in Glasgow yesterday.

An elderly Tory party supporter in the audience at the meeting suggested the Scotland Act and the Scottish Parliament should be abolished.

Tomkins maintained the SNP's single market plan suffered from "fatal flaws" as it would mean the creation of a trade border between England and Scotland, which he claimed would lead to independence.

He said:: "It's incompatible with a Unionist party. Scotland being in the EEA (European Economic Area) would mean the nature of the border between Scotland and England was seriously changed.

"That model of devolution put forward by the Scottish Government is designed to destroy the Union."

Tomkins also insisted there was "no justification" for a second referendum. He added: "We're not entertaining the idea of a second referendum. There is nothing inevitable about a second independence referendum and there is no justification for it.

"The SNP wants us to spend the entire conference talking about indy ref 2. But there's no justification, no need and no mandate for it.

"There were 31 Tory MSPs elected on a cast-iron platform against independence."