Scotland's Brexit Minister has urged Theresa May to keep the UK in the "world's most lucrative marketplace" - the European single market.

With the Prime Minister preparing to make a key speech on Brexit in Florence, Mike Russell repeated Scottish Government demands for the country to remain in both thesingle market and the European customs union.

And with the "clock ticking" on negotiations to allow the UK to exit the European Union (EU), the SNP minister insisted that timing was now critical.

The Scottish Government has been pushing for single market membership to be retained, with this a central plank in a paper published by Nicola Sturgeon last December.

In the 2016 referendum almost two thirds (62%) of voters in Scotland wanted the UK to remain in the EU.

Mr Russell insisted: "We believe the best position for Scotland and the UK is to remain in the EU - as the overwhelming majority of people in Scotland want.

"Failing that, the Prime Minister must commit to keeping the UK in the single market - the world's most lucrative marketplace - and the customs union."

He added: "With just over 12 months left to agree the terms of the UK's exit from the EU, time is critical.

"The framework for a new relationship still needs to be negotiated and concluded, while companies and public services are finding it increasingly difficult to retain and employ EU workers. The clock is ticking and it is at one minute to midnight.

"We need a transition plan that maintains the UK's place in the single market and customs union ahead of longer-term European Economic Area (EEA) and customs union membership.

"As our published proposals make clear, we believe such a framework is feasible and could be agreed in coming negotiating rounds.

"Last December, the Scottish Government set out a proposal for the UK to remain within the single market and to that end to engage in negotiations to secure continued membership of the EEA.

"This will ensure business, and citizens, can be confident that they will not face a 'cliff edge' exit from the EU in March 2019, and can plan for the long-term."

Mr Russell spoke out after Scottish Secretary David Mundell demanded SNP ministers ''stop playing games'' over Brexit legislation.

The UK Government minister called on Ms Sturgeon and her administration to "get serious'' on discussions over the the EU withdrawal bill as he insisted the legislation would not be the "power grab" that Scottish and Welsh governments fear

He said the legislation would not take away the decision making powers of

The Bill, designed to transpose European law into British law, will see EU responsibilities in devolved areas initially transferred to Westminster.

The UK Government said this will allow common frameworks to be created ahead of further devolution and has listed 111 and 64 policy areas returning from the EU which ''intersect'' with the devolution settlements of Scotland and Wales respectively.

But both Ms Sturgeon and her Welsh counterpart Carwyn Jones have said they cannot recommend giving the legislation consent unless it is substantially changed.

Deputy First Minister John Swinney and Brexit Minister Mike Russell are due to meet First Secretary of State Damian Green in London on Monday for further talks on the proposals.