OUTRAGE AFTER MAY’S

BY ANDY PHILIP a.philip@dailyrecord.co.uk NICOLA Sturgeon rejected an “outrageous” last-minute call for Brexit talks in a deepening stand-off with the UK Government yesterday.

The First Minister said she wasn’t prepared to drop commitments at short notice just to hear “empty platitudes”.

Sturgeon wants a formal face-to-face meeting with Prime Minister Theresa May over the chaotic withdrawal proposals.

May’s Cabinet deputy David Lidington, in Edinburgh yesterday, said Sturgeon’s office was called on Thursday evening for talks with him instead.

Sturgeon, on social media, replied: “This is outrageous. My office got a call around 6pm last night to offer a meeting this morning – purpose not clear.

“I wasn’t prepared to cancel my constituency commitments at such short notice for the Scottish Government to yet again have to hear empty platitudes rather than be listened to.”

Sturgeon earlier signed a letter with Welsh leader Carwyn Jones demanding a full meeting of the UK’s joint ministerial committee – with the Prime Minister.

But the UK Government are only holding a regular session attended by the Scottish Government’s Brexit Secretary Michael Russell and the UK’s Scottish Secretary David Mundell.

Lidington was in Edinburgh yesterday to meet Scottish business figures and defend the UK Government’s Brexit plan.

He said: “Overall, this is a