A UK Government minister has accused Nicola Sturgeon of “appeasing the hardliners” in the SNP after restarting a push for independence as the Tories were warned not to “blocks Scottish democracy”.

Yesterday, the First Minister set out her routemap to hold a second independence referendum on October 19 next year by pre-empting likely court action by the UK Government over Holyrood’s own plans to hold a re-run of the 2014 poll.

The Lord Advocate has asked the Supreme Court for a view on whether Holyrood can hold its own vote, while Ms Sturgeon said if there are no legal routes open to hold a referendum, the next UK general election will act as a “de facto referendum” on Scottish independence.

If the SNP won the popular vote in the general election, the Scottish Government would likely attempt to begin negotiations with the UK Government over Scotland leaving the Union.

Speaking at Prime Minister's Questions, SNP Westminster leader, Ian Blackford, highlighted that the First Minister has “set the date and started the campaign” for Scottish independence.

He said: “The reality is Scotland has already paid the price for not being independent - Westminster governments we did not vote for imposing policies we don't support, breaking international law, dragging Scotland through a damaging Brexit we didn't vote for and delivering deep austerity cuts.

“Contrast that with our European neighbours, who have greater income equality, lower poverty rates and higher productivity. Why not Scotland?

“In the weeks and months ahead, we will make the positive case for independence. Will the opposition if they can make the case for continued Westminster rule?”

In response, Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab said: “It's not the right time for another referendum, given the challenges that we face as one United Kingdom.

“He referred to some of the challenges in Scotland, but I think actually the people of Scotland want their two governments to work together and we are keen, willing, enthusiastic to do so.”

But Mr Blackford insisted that “the harsh reality” was that the Conservatives “might fear democratic debate, but they don’t have the right to block Scottish democracy”.

The SNP Westminster leader pointed to previous words by Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross, who claimed “a vote for the Scottish National Party is another vote for an independence referendum”.

Mr Blackford added: “You won't often hear me say this, but I agree with him and so do the Scottish people.

“Scottish democracy will not be a prisoner of any prime minister in this place.

“So why is the UK Government scared of democracy? Or is it simply that they have run out of ideas to defend the failing Westminster system?”

Mr Raab stressed that “the people of Scotland expect their government in Holyrood and in Westminster to work together to tackle the issues facing them in their day to day lives”.

Earlier, Labour’s shadow Scottish secretary, Ian Murray, claimed that the unpopularity of Boris Johnson was “a gift to the SNP”, warning that the Prime Minister “puts the Union at risk every single day that he clings on”.

Addressing Scotland Office Minister Iain Stewart, he said: “In the latest poll in Scotland, the Prime Minister has a net approval rating of -71. Included in that negative figure of course, is the Scottish Conservative leader, every single Scottish conservative MSP and Scottish MP, except for the Secretary of State himself.

“The simple truth is that the Prime Minister puts the Union at risk every single day that he clings on – the country knows that, his party's backbenchers know that and even the First Minister knows it, which is why she wants him to stay.

“Yesterday was nothing more than an attempt by the First Minister to deflect from her horrendous record in government and to hinder the prospect of a future labour government that replaces it.

“That's what she fears the most.

“The only thing that matters to Nicola Sturgeon is of course independence, not soaring NHS waiting times. hungry children, drug deaths, increasing poverty, widening educational attainment, or Scots worried about their bills.

“So why would the minister recognise that the Prime Minister has nothing but a gift to the SNP and put the future of the UK ahead of his blind loyalty to the Prime Minister?”

But Mr Stewart insisted that Mr Johnson and the UK Government were “focusing on the big issues that face Scotland and the whole United Kingdom".

The junior minister added that the “real focus” of the Scottish Government was “about appeasing the hardliners in the separatist party”.

He said: “We are not going to be deflected from getting on with the job that we were elected to do.

“This Union has been one of the most economically productive in history and only the separatists could believe that the creation of a hard border between Scotland and England when 60% of Scotland's exports are to the rest of the United Kingdom...would be in our economic and social interests.”