Get to the back of the queue! Spain warns Sturgeon that Scotland will have to reapply for EU membership and adopt the euro if it votes for independence

• .Sturgeon surprised Westminster with shock referendum call yesterday 
• .It was claimed today May could demand a mandate at the next Holyrood election
• .But Sturgeon insisted she had a mandate from her 2016 election manifesto 
• .She taunted May for inheriting No 10 without running her own general election  

By Tim Sculthorpe, Deputy Political Editor For Mailonline

Spain today warned Scotland it would be at the 'back of the queue' for EU membership if it voted for independence.

Foreign minister Alfonso Dastis said Spain would do nothing to encourage 'secession' in other countries. The Spanish government has a long dispute with its own Catalonia region. 

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has unveiled plans for a snap re-run of the 2014 independence referendum in a bid to preserve Scotland's place in Europe.

The SNP leader has infuriated Prime Minister Theresa May with her demand for a poll between autumn 2018 and spring 2019 before Brexit is finalised.

Ms Sturgeon and Mrs May engaged in an extraordinary public row today, swapping jibes over the prospects of the referendum. 

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Nicola Sturgeon met her Cabinet in Edinburgh today for the first time after she shocked Westminster by declaring her plans for a new poll yesterday

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Alfonso Dastis, pictured right with Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, warned Spain would be at the back of the queue to rejoin the EU if it quits Britain 

Scotland has already been warned if it leaves Britain it will also leave the EU - meaning it would have to rejoin as a new member.

All new members since 1999 have been obliged to join the Euro.   

Mr Dastis said: 'Spain supports the integrity of the United Kingdom and does not encourage secessions or divisions in any of the member states.

'We prefer things to stay as they are.'

He said Scotland 'would have to queue, meet the requirements for entry, hold negotiations and the result would be that these negotiations would take place'. 

Mr Dastis's comments are a clear signal Madrid will be firm on the issue, as it was in 2014 when Scotland voted to remain in the UK.

Spain's conservative government does not want to encourage a separatist movement in Catalonia.  

After dropping her independence bombshell, Ms Sturgeon revealed today she plans to call a vote in Holyrood as soon as next Wednesday that will demand Westminster hand over power for the referendum.

Mrs May is said to be determined to stop any referendum happening before Brexit actually takes place in 2019 and could demand the SNP get a new mandate at the 2021 Scottish Parliament elections before giving permission. 

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Ms Sturgeon is demanding a second independence referendum take place once the outline of Brexit is clear but before it takes place 

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Responding to Ms Sturgeon in the Commons today, Theresa May dismissed the referendum plan as 'political games' 

Ms Sturgeon mocked the Prime Minister in a series of tweets this morning.

She said the Tory share of the vote in 2015 was 36.9 per cent compared to the SNP's 46.5 per cent a year later.

Ms Sturgeon said: 'Trading mandates does not put PM on strong ground.'

She added: In addition, I was elected as FM on a clear manifesto commitment re #ScotRef. The PM is not yet elected by anyone.'

Mrs May replied in the Commons: 'This is not a moment for playing political games.

'It is a moment to bring our country together to honour the will of the British people and to shape for them a better, brighter future and a better Britain.'

Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson chipped in with a jibe at Ms Sturgeon, tweeting: 'Responding to anonymous tittle-tattle by trading mandates over twitter?

'Goodness. Someone's gone the full Donald Trump.'

Ms Sturgeon mocked the Prime Minister in a series of tweets this morning. She said the Tory share of the vote in 2015 was 36.9 per cent compared to the SNP's 46.5 per cent a year later

The Scottish First Minister taunted Mrs May for being 'unelected' as she claimed she had a clear mandate for her referendum 

Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson chipped in with a jibe at Ms Sturgeon, tweeting that the First Minister had 'gone the full Donald Trump' 

The extraordinary public row comes after No 10 was seen by some as surprised at the SNP announcement. 

Former SNP leader Mr Salmond said: 'What happened yesterday is an indication of just how Theresa May underrated Nicola Sturgeon.

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Ms Sturgeon claimed Mrs May, seen leaving No 10 today, had no personal mandate 

'Theresa May came to the Scottish Tory conference about 10 days ago and basically said not only she was not conceding anything to Scotland, she also engaged in a power-grab over the powers coming back from Brussels.

'And secondly there was an attack on the public services in Scotland when the public services in Scotland, like the health service, have problems but are incomparably better than the ones in England.

'It was that speech I think, Nicola said she was going to concede absolutely nothing in spite of the previous assurance, therefore I have to fulfil a manifesto commitment.'

The former SNP leader denied he was the 'Rasputin' of the move, controlling the party from behind the scenes.

He said: 'Anybody who knows Nicola Sturgeon will know what nonsense that is.' 

The row in Westminster over the demands grew today.

Mrs May's Government will have to give permission for the second referendum to take place under devolution law. 

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Alex Salmond  claimed today that Theresa May underrated Nicola Sturgeon and forced her call for a second independence referendum.

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The ex-First Minister heaped praise on his successor as he talked up the prospects the SNP winning a re-run campaign in an interview with ITV's GMB

Scotland Secretary David Mundell said today: 'Claiming having Indy Ref 2 soon allows Scotland to stay in EU is absurd.

'Independent Scotland will be outside EU and have to apply to join.' 

Scotland's First Minister yesterday declared she will push for another referendum just before the UK leaves the EU.

She insisted Scots deserved a 'real choice' over EU membership and threatened to throw a grenade into Brexit talks by holding the vote between autumn 2018 and spring 2019.

It provoked Mrs May to accuse her of 'playing politics with the future of our country'. 

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Theresa May's Government will have to give permission for the second referendum to take place under devolution law