THE Scottish Secretary has called on Nicola Sturgeon to remove the threat of a possible second independence referendum in the wake of the Brexit vote as he criticised "fanatical" members of the SNP who are "obsessed" with winning a rerun of the 2014 ballot.
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 UK out of these EU negotiations".
He claimed some people in the SNP "simply see this situation as an opportunity to further the cause of independence".
The Conservative MP made the comments after Scotland's First Minister announced £100 million of funding to help businesses manage the economic uncertainty caused by the vote to leave the EU.
The SNP leader, who has already warned the result of June's referendum makes another vote on independence "highly likely", said her government would "pursue all possible options to protect Scotland's relationship with the EU and ensure that our voice is heard".
Ms Sturgeon added: "The UK Government has not yet taken any meaningful action to alleviate uncertainty or to boost confidence, and there are very real concerns that the damage to the economy and to jobs will be severe and long-lasting."
Mr Mundell, who was meeting youth organisations in Glasgow to discuss their concerns about the impact of the Brexit vote, claimed the funding was "an announcement of money that had been underspent from last year ".
He added: "The number one thing Nicola Sturgeon could do right now to boost the Scottish economy is to remove the uncertainty of a second independence referendum, she could take that off the table right now.
"That's what business is saying they want to happen, they don't want a second independence referendum clouding these discussions about the EU, they don't want to be bringing additional uncertainty into the Scottish economy."
Mr Mundell, the only Scottish Tory MP, said: "The UK Government's position is very clear, we had a referendum in 2014 on the basis of the Edinburgh Agreement.
"That agreement was that both sides would respect the result of the referendum and that's what we are doing.
"We are respecting that result and proceeding on the basis that Scotland remains part of the United Kingdom."
Mr Mundell added: "I know it's very hard for her because she has got a lot of very fanatical people who are obsessed with having another independence referendum.
"But there is no mood in Scotland for another independence referendum, and there's certainly not a mood for the uncertainty that talking about it brings."
He said SNP ministers had so far failed to make any suggestions about how Scotland could stay in both the EU and the UK.
Mr Mundell said Prime Minister Theresa May pledged she would "listen to anything the Scottish Government brings forward" about how Scotland - where 62% voted to stay in Europe - could have a different arrangement with the EU.
However, he said UK ministers "haven't heard anything", adding: "There's been a number of meetings in which the First Minister has been involved but we haven't had any feedback in relation to what has been proposed or suggested."
An SNP spokesman said: "David Mundell and his Tory colleagues are the very last ones who should be trying to lay down the law to the people of Scotland - the Tories are the ones who have created the chaos, confusion and deep economic uncertainty caused by Brexit.
"That is what is damaging businesses and threatening jobs - and as the First Minister has made clear, we will pursue all options to preserve our place in Europe, including independence if it becomes clear that it is the best or only option to retain our EU status."
