NICOLA Sturgeon has warned the UK Government Scotland will be forced to look to “unprecedented solutions” if it is ignored in discussions for the UK to leave the EU.

The First Minister said she has a mandate to ensure Scotland’s interests are not damaged and fired a thinly veiled independence warning to the UK that “other options” will be considered.

The First Minister met with leaders and senior ministers from the governments of the UK, Northern Ireland. Wales, and the Republic of Ireland at the British Irish Council in a special summit in Cardiff to discuss how the negotiations should move forward.

She said the discussion was “frank and very robust” and focussed on how and when Article 50 would be triggered by UK ministers.

Ms Sturgeon said: "We are in unprecedented times. And I think that we have to be prepared to think about unprecedented solutions to the circumstances we found ourselves in.

"If there's not a way of doing that within the UK, then it sends the message to people in Scotland that our voice doesn't matter and can be ignored.”

Clearly speaking about independence without using the word she said if the UK fails to take account of the needs and wishes of the component parts people would make their own minds up about its usefulness.

She added: “The UK is a multinational state and if it's not able to demonstrate that the voices of the different nations can be heard and listened to, then certain conclusions will be drawn from that.

"There's an onus to demonstrate to the rest of the United Kingdom that solutions can be found.

"If that doesn't happen, then for Scotland other options will have to be considered."

She said she put forward the case for Scotland having a mandate to prevent damage as a majority voted to remain.

She said those consequences were “potentially severe” for jobs, trade and the economy.”

Carwyn Jones, the Welsh First Minister said he wanted to ensure that each of the devolved administrations must agree to the decision to start the process, from which time negotiations with the EU can begin.

Ms Sturgeon said she was broadly supportive of that idea.

The Irish politicians warned there can be no “hard border” between the Republic and Northern Ireland once the UK leaves.

Northern Ireland First Minister Arlene Foster and Irish Taoiseach Enda Kenny attended the talks.

Mr Kenny said there must be no return to "checkpoints, towers and customs”.