No future Westminster government will be able to say Scottish independence would result in a hard border with the rest of the UK, the First Minister has said.

The UK Government and the European Union reached an agreement on the first phase of the Brexit negotiations on Friday, with both sides committed to an open Irish border.

In a series of tweets, Nicola Sturgeon said reaching an agreement was "good" but the "devil is in the detail".

She added: "An aside - a UK government that is able to say that come what may, it will avoid hard borders with Ireland/NI after Brexit can never again tell Scotland that independence would mean a hard border between Scotland and rUK."

Conservative figures reacted angrily to Sturgeon's comments on social media.

Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson tweeted: "And......here we go.

"Right on time Nicola Sturgeon uses any Brexit development to bang the indy drum.

"Could set your watch by it. Give it a rest."

Scottish secretary David Mundell tweeted: "So proof if it was ever needed that for @NicolaSturgeon everything, however serious, is about independence. For her #Indyref2 is never off the table."