The Brexit process is "ripping to shreds" the UK Government's claims that Westminster and Holyrood are equal partners, Alex Salmond has said.

The former first minister launched a fierce attack on Theresa May's proposal for the UK to leave the single market when it withdraws from the European Union - which Nicola Sturgeon has already warned "undoubtedly" makes a second independence vote more likely.

While the UK opted to leave the EU in the 2016 referendum, 62% of voters in Scotland voted to remain.

Salmond, the SNP foreign affairs spokesman at Westminster, said: "The actions of the Tory Government since the Brexit vote show the real limits the devolved parliament faces in protecting Scotland from damaging Westminster decisions."

He hit out at the Conservative party's "arrogant dismissal" of Holyrood's desire to keep Scotland in the single market, and claimed the UK Government is "more than willing to exercise that power and override democratic votes in Holyrood".

Salmond said: "Last week the Scottish Parliament clearly endorsed, by a large margin and on a cross-party basis, the Scottish Government's attempt to keep Scotland in the European single market.

"The UK Government, and the Prime Minister herself, have given a commitment to explore that objective.

"But time is running out for the Tory Government to demonstrate that they are in any way serious about Scotland being an equal partner in the UK.

"As things stand they are systematically destroying their own notion of the union as a proper partnership as well as ripping to shreds the promises made to the people of Scotland about the status and powers of the Scottish Parliament during and after the 2014 independence referendum.

"It will be for the Scottish Parliament and people to respond to this new reality of hard Tory Brexit."

A UK Government spokeswoman said: "The UK voted to leave the EU and all parties should respect the result of the referendum.

"As we prepare to start negotiations with the EU we are working closely with the devolved administrations.

"We are determined to get the best deal for Scotland and all parts for all of the UK as we leave the EU."