Scottish secretary David Mundell has been branded a "Brexit cheerleader" ahead of talks with whisky bosses on Islay.

Holyrood Brexit minister Michael Russell accused Mundell of trying to "sell" Brexit to Scottish businesses and communities who have legitimate concerns about the effects of leaving the EU.

Highlighting Mundell's opposition to Brexit before the referendum in 2016, he called the secretary's stance since then a "catalogue of contradictions".

Mundell will meet representatives of the Scotch Whisky Association and drinks giant Diageo at the Caol Ila distillery in Islay on Thursday.

Ahead of the meeting he claimed the UK Government plans to "drive down" tariffs on the sales of Scotch whisky overseas in the wake of Brexit.

"We are determined to open up new markets around the world for the very best whisky our distillers have to offer and to drive down any tariffs they face," he said.

"By strengthening ties with key partners, identifying new markets and tackling tariffs, the UK Government is paving the way towards an even brighter future for Scotland's whisky industry."

Russell said Mundell was guilty of "peddling false reassurances" while avoiding talking about the "inevitably difficult consequences" of Brexit.

"Our whisky industry needs urgent assurances that the UK Government will not sell them out in order to secure a wider trade deal with the US," he said.

"The EU's protection of the whisky industry will be undermined and the industry will suffer if the looser US definition is forced on Scotland."

He added: "People across Scotland's rural communities are increasingly of the view that the UK Government is merely looking for ways to placate opposition whilst they attempt to deliver the hardest of Tory hard Brexit agendas.

"His job is to argue Scotland's case at Westminster, not try and sell Westminster's case to the most fragile communities in Scotland."