The UK Government has ruled out granting a Section 30 order to allow a second Scottish independence referendum to be held.

Cabinet Office minister David Lidington - Theresa May's deputy - said there is "no appetite" for a fresh independence push and urged the First Minister to focus on "making devolution work" instead.

A spokesman for Nicola Sturgeon said May's government has "zero credibility" and is "clinging onto office by its fingertips".

It comes the day after the FM announced she wants to hold a second independence referendum by 2021 if Brexit happens.

She said on Wednesday she will bring forward a Bill laying the groundwork for a new referendum by the end of this year.

Speaking on a visit to a cybersecurity conference in Glasgow on Thursday, Lidington said he was "disappointed" at the First Minister's plans.

He told STV News: "The Scottish people decided this in 2014. The Yes campaign in 2014 said this will settle matters for a generation, and we should regard that as settled for a generation.

"What I hear in Scotland is we want improved schools, we want to see the problems in our hospitals sorted out.

"We want more jobs, more investment in Scotland and, from a UK Government point of view, let's work together on those things, let's not get distracted by another referendum."

Sturgeon has conceded she would need a Section 30 order from the UK Government to "put beyond doubt" the Scottish Government's ability to actually hold an independence referendum.

"We're not going to grant a section 30 order," Lidington said.

"We think that the priority - what's in the interests of the people of Scotland - is make devolution work.

"Use the powers that the Scottish Government and parliament have got they're not using, on things like the ability to vary welfare payments if that's what they want to do.

"We can make devolution work well for every part of the UK, that should be our focus."

He added: "There's no appetite reflected in opinion polls in Scotland to going round the referendum track yet again."

The First Minister's spokesman hit back: "This is a government with zero credibility clinging on to office by its fingertips.

"We don't even know if it is still going to be in office at the end of the week or the end of the month - that is the context in which David Lidington's comments should be heard."

The SNP's 2016 manifesto called for a second referendum if there was a "material change of circumstances" such as Scotland being forced out of the EU.

Sturgeon previously asked May for the authority to hold a new independence vote via a Section 30 request back in March 2017.

However, the Prime Minister declined to do so, and the First Minister held off on pursuing legislation after her party lost 21 seats in 2017's snap election.

Speaking on Wednesday, Sturgeon said: "There are some who would like to see a very early referendum, others want that choice to be later.

"My job as First Minister is to reach a judgment, not simply in my party's interest but in the national interest."

She added: "To rush into an immediate decision before a Brexit path has been determined would not allow for an informed choice to be made.

"However if we are to safeguard Scotland's interests we can not wait indefinitely."

The First Minister also announced she will seek cross-party talks with opposition leaders about Holyrood's powers.

She further proposed a Citizens Assembly to consider Scotland's future similar to events organised in Ireland on divisive issues.

The developments come ahead of SNP conference in Edinburgh this weekend.