JO Swinson has suggested she would not work with the SNP to bring about a second Brexit referendum if the “price tag” was supporting the staging of a second vote on Scottish independence.

In an interview with the BBC’s Andrew Neil the Liberal Democrat leader was adamant she would not put Jeremy Corbyn in Downing St but stressed that if a government of any colour put down a parliamentary bill to have a People’s Vote, then her party would support it to “put a specific Brexit deal to the people with the option of remaining in the EU”.

When it was pointed out that the SNP’s demand for supporting a second EU referendum would be to secure another vote on Scotland’s future, Ms Swinson was asked what the Lib Dems would do in such a scenario.

“I’m not going to support another referendum on independence,” declared Ms Swinson.

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“We know last time we had the referendum on independence the uncertainty that it caused for Scottish businesses and for the economy and when you look at all of the mess of Brexit right now the last thing we need in Scotland is more chaos on top of that existing chaos.”

Asked directly if, as party leader, she would, therefore, sacrifice a second Brexit referendum if it came with a “price tag of a second Scottish referendum,” Ms Swinson question whether the SNP, who said they wanted to stop Brexit, would not support willing the means to do it in a People’s Vote.

Pressed on whether the Lib Dems would pay the price of a second referendum in Scotland, she again insisted she would not support a second poll on Scottish independence.

Asked even if that meant the Lib Dems would forego a second Brexit referendum, Ms Swinson replied: “I will vote for a People’s Vote on the Brexit deal and SNP MPs will also vote for that legislation because they will know that’s what people in Scotland want.”

But last night, the Scottish Conservatives insisted Ms Swinson had failed to put the future of the UK before another EU referendum.

Andrew Bowie, the Tory candidate for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine said: “Jo Swinson must clarify her position immediately.

“We know Nicola Sturgeon will demand a second independence referendum as the price of her support for a Corbyn government. We know that Jeremy Corbyn is prepared to pay that price.

“Jo Swinson was asked to rule out being part of this grubby deal tonight and failed to do so,” he insisted.

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“The Lib Dems need to be clear that they will never act as willing accomplices to a Corbyn-Sturgeon pact that would put the future of the UK on the line,” added Mr Bowie.

Also in the interview, the Lib Dem leader apologised for welfare cuts the party backed when it was in power with the Tories, admitting they had gone too far.

She said: "Clearly, too much was cut. Clearly, not enough was raised from taxation. Some cuts were necessary but the shape of those cuts and certainly the balance between cuts and tax rises, I don't think was the right balance."

Last night, the SNP's Pete Wishart said: "Despite Jo Swinson’s best attempts to dodge her shameful record when in government with the Tories, the reality is communities across Scotland will not forgive or forget the Lib Dems for their active part in inflicting austerity on the most vulnerable people in society.

“Rather than recognising and unequivocally apologising for the devastating impact austerity has had, the Lib Dem leader instead said the policies were ‘necessary.’ That is shameful and it is little wonder the party is trailing in the polls," added the Nationalist candidate for Perth and North Perthshire.

He added: “With Jo Swinson confirming that she is more than happy to cosy up with the Conservatives for a second time to finish what she started – and that she will categorically deny the democratic right of the people of Scotland to have a choice over their own future - it's clear that the Lib Dems cannot be trusted to stand up for Scotland."

Today, speaking at a rally in Edinburgh, Ms Swinson will claim the SNP would announce an independence referendum "within days" if they won in seats being fought by the Lib Dems.

She will urge Nicola Sturgeon to "spend a little less time banging on about independence and a little more time on sorting out our hospitals and mental health services".

The Lib Dem leader will say: "For the last three and a half years, the SNP have had front row seats watching the Conservatives fail to get Brexit done. They've seen that breaking up is hard to do but instead of learning the lessons, the SNP want to repeat the mistakes.

"They've watched how hard it is to break up a Union of 40 years and they still want to try to break up one of more than 300 years.

"And if the SNP win in the seats we are fighting, they will announce an independence referendum within days. That is not in Scotland's best interest," Ms Swinson will declare.