European fishing vessels should permanently have access to British fishing grounds after Brexit, EU leaders have said.

The demand is part of negotiation guidelines for the final Brexit trade talks agreed by the heads of the remaining EU 27 national governments at a meeting of the European Council in Brussels on Friday.

Fishing was the sole industry to be individually named by the European Council in the context of the final UK-EU free trade agreement (FTA).

The call comes after the UK Government agreed to adhere to the organisation's Common Fisheries Policy, which sets catch quotas and vessel access rules, during the 21-month transition period after the UK formally leaves the bloc next year.

The document stated: "In the overall context of the FTA, existing reciprocal access to fishing waters and resources should be maintained."

Scottish Conservative MPs have threatened to vote down the final deal when it comes to the Commons for ratification if it does transfer full control over fishing back to the UK.

Banff and Buchan MP, David Dugid, said: "I have been clear in my comments this week and since being elected last year, there must not be any deal with the European Union that guarantees them any specific share of access to our waters.

"We all know that other European nations will try to use the forthcoming negotiations to maintain the preferential access they have enjoyed over the last forty years."

He added: "The Prime Minister, in her Mansion House Speech, committed that British fishermen will have a fairer allocation to our waters than they do now-but this must not be traded away as part of a trade deal.

"Access and trade must be kept separate."

SNP MSP Stewart Stevenson said:"The Tories think they can do anything they want to Scotland and get away with it.

"Despite their bluster, it's clear that the Scottish Tories will end up selling out the fishing industry once again."