A former SNP cabinet minister has claimed there is "little chance" of Scotland remaining an EU member after Brexit.

Alex Neil, who stepped down from the Scottish Government shortly before the EU vote, said it will be hard to win another independence referendum on a prospect of remaining in the EU.

He said nationalists should seek alternative scenarios.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has pledged to "explore all options" to protect Scotland's interests in Europe and said another independence referendum is "highly likely".

Mr Neil, SNP MSP for Airdrie and Shotts, said the immediate focus should be securing the best deal for Scotland from the Brexit negotiations.

In an article for Holyrood magazine, Mr Neil said: "This strategy recognises the political reality that there is little chance of Scotland being able to remain as a member state within the EU when the rest of the UK exits.

"Despite the newly-found empathy and goodwill there undoubtedly now is for Scotland in European capitals, the EU has already made it clear that there will not be separate negotiations with Scotland until after the UK/EU Brexit deal is done and that this position won't change even if there is a Yes vote in a second independence referendum prior to the completion of the Brexit negotiations."

Spain and other countries "would almost certainly" veto Scotland's continuing membership, he said.

Holding a second independence referendum before the Brexit deal has been finalised would also leave nationalists "unable to answer basic questions" about future trading relationships, he added.

"Keeping an open border with the rest of the UK is likely to be very difficult to achieve," he said.

"We therefore need to look at alternative scenarios other than EU membership in terms of the independence offer."

Nationalists must also "convincingly address" questions about Scotland's fiscal position, currency, oil industry, economy and society.

"To hold a referendum before all these issues are addressed would be a high-risk strategy," he said.

Mr Neil also said ministers must secure uninterrupted, permanent access to the European single market, repatriate EU powers to Holyrood instead of Westminster and get a fair share of the money the UK currently sends to Brussels.

Scotland's fishing industry would receive "a massive boost" from Brexit, agriculture would be enhanced, Holyrood could set its own tendering and workers' rights conditions, gain more control over environment and energy policy and potentially set its own immigration policy, he said.

Mr Neil resigned from his post of social justice, communities and pensioners' rights minister in May on the eve of a cabinet reshuffle and a month before the Brexit referendum.

An SNP spokesman said: "After the overwhelming vote in Scotland to remain part of the EU, the First Minister has been clear that Scotland should not be dragged out of Europe against our will - and that all options, including a second referendum on independence, remain on the table."