DENYING Scotland the same soft Brexit option which could benefit Northern Ireland would be “duplicity” of a high order on the part of the UK government, Michael Russell has said.

The SNP’s Constitutional Relations Secretary said he intended to raise reports of a UK plan for Northern Ireland that would explicitly exclude a Scottish copy as a matter of urgency.

It followed a leak of papers from Brussels negotiators that the EU was edging towards a deal with the UK over Northern Ireland that would use technology to create a frictionless border.

The arrangement would maintain close alignment with the single market.

A newspaper report said the leak stated the solution was “specifically phrased for Northern Ireland so that it is not applicable for Scotland. A UK concern.”

However Nicola Sturgeon has argued Scotland should be able to enjoy the same relationship as Ulster.

She tweeted in December “If one part of UK can retain regulatory alignment with EU and effectively stay in the single market, which is the right solution for Northern Ireland, there is surely no good practical reason why others can’t.”

Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland yesterday, Mr Russell said: “If this is true then this is duplicity of a very serious degree by the UK government.

“The Scottish Government has made it clear, both publicly and privately, over a long period of time, that whilst we entirely support a borderless Ireland... if there are advantages for Northern Ireland then Scotland could not stand idly by, and quite obviously so.

"We voted, like Northern Ireland, not to Leave. Our economies are closely intertwined.”

Asked whether there was a case for Northern Ireland having a unique arrangement given its history and its land border with another EU country, he said: “We would then border an EU country in those circumstances because the border would be in the Irish Sea.

“But it’s not an EU proposal. What the Times has reported is that the UK would be making it a condition that it [the deal] was written in such a way that Scotland could not take advantage of it.

“If they wanted to do that, they should have said to us - because there are open negotiations, the Joint Ministerial Committee is meeting - by the way, this is what we’re saying as part of the Northern Irish deal. They’ve not done so.

“Now that is neither fair nor welcome, and that is something we will be raising as a very serious issue.”

He said he accepted there should be no border between Northern Ireland the republic, but he also said Scotland had voted heavily to Remain in the EU, and had long argued that a separate system for Scotland known as “differentiation” was possible.

He said: “We have shown how that is possible, and we have published material on it. So if there’s an attempt to tie us to the UK, to drag us out against our will then we are absolutely right to object to that, particularly if it’s being done in secret.”

Asked if the SNP would support a second vote on Brexit, Mr Russell said he would be “happy” to sit down with the LibDems and other proponents of a People’s Vote.

However he said it would have to factor in what would happen if Scotland voted again to Remain and the UK vote overall was to Leave.