NICOLA Sturgeon is to give a video message to the People’s Rally in London on Saturday.

It is believed that the First Minister had been invited to give a speech in person at the event but has decided instead to address the tens of thousands due to attend via video link.

Her SNP colleague Ian Blackford, the party's Westminster leader, explained: "There was an invitation to us and obviously the preference would be to have the FM there rather than anyone else and if the FM couldn't have done it, then I would have willingly done it but she will be giving a video address...She will be appearing live at the event."

The Nationalists have now thrown their weight behind the People’s Vote as a means of keeping the UK in the EU should circumstances pan out in a certain way after some leadership figures were initially lukewarm about the idea.

Organisers expect more than 100,000 people to turn out to call for a second vote on Brexit, including the option of staying in the EU. At least 50 coachloads of campaigners will be converging on the UK capital, including ones from Scotland.

Speakers are expected to include Sadiq Khan, the London Mayor, Labour’s Chukka Umunna, Conservative Remainer MP Anna Soubry, Sir Vince Cable, the Liberal Democrat leader, and the Greens’ Caroline Lucas.

Celebrities involved include the actor Sir Patrick Stewart and TV cook Delia Smith.

“We see this as an all-Britain event,” said Sir Vince, stressing how it was also all-party.

“We know of 50 coaches and there are many more coming from different parts of the country…We know there are people coming from the Highlands of Scotland, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen,” he explained.

It is thought many of the coaches from Scotland are being organised by the students’ campaign For Future’s Sake and is concentrated on university campuses.

Sir Vince claimed that, although Theresa May had set her face against facilitating a People’s Vote, he believed she could still be persuaded to do it.

“If she wants to get this deal landed, going to the country and offering what she would present as a middle-way alternative might have a certain appeal,” said the London MP.

Meanwhile, he together with Mr Blackford, Ms Lucas and Liz Saville Roberts, the Plaid Cymru leader at Westminster, are due next Thursday to travel to Brussels for a meeting with Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief negotiator.