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Scottish leader reaches out to Germany in bid to stay in EU

Mr Mundell, who yesterday visited a hub for fledgling businesses in Glasgow that was part-funded by the UK Government as part of a tour in which he is seeking views on a post-Brexit deal with Europe, blamed Ms Sturgeon for ramping up uncertainty.

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UK Prime Minister Theresa May, who took over from David Cameron after he resigned in the wake of the June referendum results, also visited Berlin in July to meet with her counterpart Chancellor Angela Merkel.

He claimed some people in the SNP “simply see this situation as an opportunity to further the cause of independence”.

The First Minister said the money, which was welcomed by a series of business groups, would “boost business, stimulate economic activity and support business”.

The First Minister has said a second independence referendum is “highly likely” to preserve Scotland’s place in the EU.

“If the SNP wants to ease the uncertainty surrounding Scotland’s economy, it should unequivocally drop its threat of a second referendum”.

“If Sturgeon gets her way and loses a third referendum, then the issue needs to be off the table for the next 30 years at least”.

The former Cabinet Health Minister expressed scepticism that Scotland would be swept to independence on an “emotional tidal wave” following the Brexit vote, saying that opinion polls show support for separation has returned to the same levels as before the European Union referendum.

Edinburgh has been stuck in the crossfire between London and Brussels since Britons voted to leave the European Union in a referendum in June.

“The SNP have a bad record on referendums: Played two, lost two”.

Fraser’s comments came as the Scottish Government announced a 100-million-pound ($130 million) stimulus plan meant to boost the Scottish economy following the Brexit vote.

She added that the UK Government had not taken “any meaningful action” to alleviate uncertainty in the wider economy and called for “a UK-wide stimulus package which, through consequential funding, would enable the Scottish Government to do more to accelerate capital spending”.

“The Spanish already say that they’re against it because they’re afraid that the Catalans in their own country would do the same as you, follow suit and separate from Spain”. “They don’t want a second independence referendum to be clouding these discussions about the European Union”.

It is the latest in a series of engagements between the Scottish Government and officials from European Union institutions and member states.

David Mundell said in the wake of the vote to leave the European Union (EU), the Scottish Government should be working alongside the Tory government at Westminster on “getting the best possible deal for Scotland and the United Kingdom out of these EU negotiations”.

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However, he said United Kingdom ministers “haven’t heard anything”, adding: “We haven’t had any feedback in relation to what has been proposed or suggested”.

Take independence vote off the table Scottish secretary tells Nicola Sturgeon