THE logic of a second referendum on Scottish independence is "irrefutable", an English Green MEP has claimed.

Molly Scott Cato spoke out in support of a second vote on Scotland's constitutional future as she addressed the Scottish Green Party's spring conference in Glasgow yesterday.

The Green Party for England and Wales takes a neutral position on the issue of independence, although several prominent figures in the party, including then leader Natalie Bennett, supported a Yes vote in 2014.

However, Scott Cato, MEP for the South West of England and Gibraltar, said the Brexit vote, in which the majority of Scots backed Remain, left the country facing either a future inside the UK and outside the EU, or inside the EU and outside the UK.

"The people of Scotland must now be given the option to consider which alternative they prefer," she said. "This makes the logic of another independence referendum irrefutable."

Scottish Greens co-convener Patrick Harvie told the conference that the Tories were poised to fight an "utterly cynical" local election campaign.

The Scottish Greens combined with the SNP means there is a pro-independence majority at Holyrood.

Harvie said: "It's their hard Brexit agenda which is pushing Scotland towards making its choice. The time for that will come, but for now our focus has to be clear – our councils and the services they provide matter to people."