Roundup: British PM urges regional leaders not to undermine Brexit

Theresa May held her first joint talks Monday with the leaders of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland since becoming prime minister and told them it was vital not to "undermine" Britain's position during Brexit negotiations.

But Nicola Sturgeon, first minister of Scotland and leader of the SNP, warned May that she is not "bluffing" over her promise to hold an independence referendum if Scotland's vote against Brexit is "not respected."

After behind-closed-doors talks at 10 Downing Street, Sturgeon said she was not prepared to see "Scotland driven off a hard Brexit cliff edge".

Media reports described the meeting as acrimonious, with the leaders of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland demanding to be fully consulted on EU negotiations.

The view put forward by Downing Street at the meeting was that the regional administrations must work with one voice to help secure a successful Brexit.

May's official spokeswoman said: "We have been very clear that we should be working together to secure the best possible deal for the whole country. We expect representatives of the devolved administrations to act in that way and to in no way undermine the UK's position."

May said later, "The country is facing a negotiation of tremendous importance and it is imperative that the devolved administrations play their part in making it work."

Sturgeon told waiting journalists in Downing Street: "I don't know any more now about the UK government's approach to the EU negotiations than I did before I went into the meeting. I can't speak for the other devolved administrations but I think there was a degree of frustration shared by all of us about that."

Sturgeon said there was still "a long way to go" and warned the consequences for Scotland of leaving the European Single Market are severe.

She said Scotland will be bringing forward its own specific proposals for a "flexible Brexit" that would keep Scotland in the single market even if the rest of Britain leaves.

May has proposed that Brexit Secretary David Davis chairs a new forum bringing together representatives from the regions before the prime minister triggers Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty to formally start a two-year Brexit process.

The prime minister has said that process will be triggered by the end of March next year.

May said the new forum will offer the chance for the leaders of the regional administrations to put forward their proposals on how to seize the opportunities presented by Brexit, and deliver the democratic decision expressed by the people of Britain in the June 23 referendum.

The three regional governments are being offered a "direct line" to Davis as part of the process.

Both Sturgeon and the First Minister of Wales Carwyn Jones have demanded that Article 50 should not be invoked until there is an agreed approach to negotiations with Brussels.

Northern Ireland First Minister Arlene Foster, who took part in the talks alongside her Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness, said later: "It's important that we are involved in the heart of the Brexit negotiation process." Endit