Nicola Sturgeon has been warned off demanding a second independence referendum as speculation grows she is about to do so after promising an update on her plans within "weeks".

With the UK still mired in negotiating a way through Brexit, sources claim there is an expectation at Westminster that the First Minister will soon request a section 30 order, granting the Scottish Parliament the right to hold another referendum.

But it is widely expected that the answer would be no, with a member of the UK Government telling the BBC: “There is no answer to this, other than now is not the time.”

Some commentators believe Ms Sturgeon may even be expecting a firm rejection from Downing Street to stir the pot.

But a national broadcaster has reported that, based on internal polling for the Conservatives, opposition to another referendum is hardening and one minister said: "Once you've hit the iceberg, you're all on it together”.

In response, Ms Sturgeon tweeted: “The justification here from a UK Minister for trying to block Scotland’s right to choose independence is quite something - ‘once you've hit the iceberg, you're all on it together’.

"Well, actually, no, Scotland does not have to sink with the Brexit ship.”

Ms Sturgeon indicated in January that details of the timetable for a second referendum would be revealed within “weeks”.

Opposition leaders were quick to attack the prospect of a second independence referendum.

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said: “There is no mandate for another divisive independence referendum. The SNP failed to win a majority at the last election and the Greens have failed to deliver their million signatures they said would be required before another referendum should be sanctioned.

“In any case, why would we compound the chaos of Brexit with the chaos of independence. Breaking up a 40 year old partnership is proving to be a disaster, breaking up the 300 year old UK would be so much worse.

“We all need to focus on stopping Brexit, not breaking up the UK.”

The last occasion the Prime Minister knocked back a call for a second referendum was in 2016 when she used similar wording then, saying: “Now is not the time.”

The BBC further reported, though, that senior figures in the SNP may use an election to force the issue, saying it is "pretty obvious what we'll campaign on” and suggesting such a vote would largely be about the right to hold a referendum.

Scotland - where 62 per cent voted to stay in the EU - voted by 55% to remain in the UK in the referendum of September 2014, which was billed as a “once in a generation” event.

But Ms Sturgeon has been open about her intention to have a second referendum because "Scotland is being dragged out of the EU against its will.”

Earlier this month, one of Ms Sturgeon’s closet advisors said she should offer the softest possible form of independence in order to win over voters.

Andrew Wilson, who chaired the SNP's Growth Commission, said: "In the parlance of Brexit, we offer the softest of possible changes to the current arrangements, not the hardest. We recognise the level of integration and all the ties that have bound us for centuries. We create a platform that can unify a majority for progress that stands a chance of winning and winning big."

The comments infuriated many within the wider Yes movement keen to have another referendum as soon as possible - SNP MP Angus MacNeil, former MP George Kerevan and former SNP leader Alex Salmond have all argued for using the chaos over Brexit to press for a second referendum, but debate continues within the party on the timing of another vote.

Responding to the latest reports, an SNP spokesman said: "The Tories’ arrogance is exceeded only by their incompetence.

"The fact is that the future of Scotland will be decided by the Scottish people not by Theresa May who, let’s be frank, is fast becoming a parody of herself.

"The last couple of years are littered with examples of the PM taking ‘cast iron’ positions that later crumbled to dust. Just a matter of days ago she was adamant she wouldn’t countenance a delay to Brexit - until suddenly she did."