Theresa May said protecting the union is a "personal priority" as she launched the Scottish Conservative election manifesto.

Speaking to activists in Edinburgh on Friday, she said Jeremy Corbyn was "too weak to stand up for our union even if he wanted to".

Promising to build a "stronger" union, the Prime Minister said: "We may be four nations but at heart we are one people."

The Tories are targeting several seats north of the border and, before the Prime Minister spoke, Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson appealed to Labour voters who felt their party had "left" them.

On Thursday, the UK party revealed their election manifesto, which stated a second independence referendum would be blocked until the Brexit process had "played out".

May said voting for any other party could lead to a worse Brexit deal for Britain.

She said: "The choice for voters at this election is clear. Who will be at the negotiating table? Will it be me, or will it be Jeremy Corbyn, propped up by the Scottish nationalists?

"A vote for me and my team is a vote for strong and stable leadership. Every vote for me and my team will strengthen my hand in the negotiations to come.

"Every vote will help me get a better deal for the whole United Kingdom. And every vote from Scotland will strengthen my hand when I stand up for our United Kingdom here at home."

She added: "Jeremy Corbyn is too weak to stand up for our union even if he wanted to.

"According to him a second independence referendum would be absolutely fine."

The Prime Minister was referencing a statement Jeremy Corbyn made in March. The Labour leader has since said he was not in favour of a second independence referendum.

May continued: "Get Brexit right and we can use this moment of change to build a stronger, fairer more prosperous United Kingdom, a stronger union where we work together to build a better future.

"And that stronger union is a personal priority for me. As long as I am Prime Minister I will never stand by and let our union drift apart."

Attacking the SNP's record on education, May said: "The SNP's tunnel-vision obsession with independence above everything else has meant young people in Scotland are being let down.

"Education might be a devolved matter but I still care very deeply about the life chances of Scottish children.

"As Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, I care just as much about the futures of children from Ayrshire and Angus as I do about the futures of children in Kent or Carlisle."

She added: "I want everyone in our country to have the chance to live secure and prosperous lives and reach their full potential.

"That is because of a simple truth. Across the United Kingdom, we may be four nations, but at heart we are one people."

Responding to the Prime Minister's speech, SNP depute leader Angus Robertson said Conservative plans would damage the economy.

He said: "Theresa May flew into Edinburgh today to deliver one simple message to the people of Scotland - get back in your box.

"This carbon-copy manifesto confirms beyond doubt that Tory MPs from Scotland will simply rubber-stamp Theresa May's plans and endorse the damage she is determined to do to households and our economy.

"The Tories have done more to divide society, create instability and destroy opportunities for young people than any other government in living memory - now they are asking people to vote for them to fix the problems that they have created."

He added: "The fact is, any Tory MPs elected in Scotland will put Theresa May's extreme Brexit before the jobs in Scotland they should be protecting."