The SNP have attempted to ratchet up the pressure on the UK Government after a week of damaging twists in the Brexit tale.

Theresa May's desire to keep her Brexit negotiating cards close to her chest were dealt a blow after her government lost its court case over Article 50.

On Thursday, three High Court judges ruled that the government could not trigger Article 50 without the backing of Parliament - which means new legislation would need to be debated by both the Commons and the Lords.

Following the decision, Conservative MP Stephen Phillips stood down from the party, accusing the UK Government of ignoring the sovereignty of parliament since the vote to leave the EU.

To further complicate matters, The Bank of England made a drastic revision to its forecast for 2017, predicting a three-fold increase in inflation to 2.7% next year, up from the current level of 1%.

The Bank went on to say that it doesn't expect interest rates to return to its 2% target until 2020 at the earliest.

SNP MSP and convener of Holyrood's Europe committee, Joan McAlpine, said that the week's events were symptomatic of the damage that will be caused by the decision to leave the EU.

She said: "The UK government's ongoing lack of any kind of plan for Brexit is nothing short of staggering - and shows just how ill-prepared the Tories are for EU withdrawal, and their efforts to push it through without parliamentary approval have been rejected by the High Court.

"The weight of expert evidence on the damage leaving Europe would cause is overwhelming - and yet the hard-right Tory Brexiteers remain hell-bent on driving us all of the edge of an economic cliff.

"The fact that they are yet to appoint key negotiators ahead of vital trade talks shows the wrong-headed approach they are insistent on following - though it is unsurprising given their distaste for expert opinion.

"Theresa May is telling our NHS to drop foreign doctors and our universities to ditch international researchers - yet she herself can't find the expertise she needs in Britain to negotiate Brexit.

"The Tory government must act now and reveal what it hopes to gain from leaving the EU.

"Constant platitudes about how 'Brexit means Brexit' are not good enough - and these latest revelations show how much damage the hard-right Tory government's current approach is inflicting on Scotland."

A spokesman for the Department for Exiting the European Union offered assurances that Scotland's interests remained at the forefront of the UK Government's negotiations, claiming any concerns would be heard.

He said: "The entire Government is working to ensure we get the best possible deal both for Scotland and the whole of the UK, which makes the most of the new freedoms Brexit will afford us.

"We are carefully examining how our departure from the EU could affect each sector, as well as cross-cutting issues that could affect more than one area.

"We have said we will listen to proposals from the Scottish Government. We are determined to deliver on the outcome of the referendum in the national interest."

The Scottish Conservatives accused the SNP of double standards, after claims emerged this week that numerous SNP MSPs who campaigned for Remain in fact voted Leave.

Adam Tomkins, Scottish Conservatives constitution spokesman, said: "As always, the SNP's hypocrisy is staggering.

"On the one hand we have Joan McAlpine and Nicola Sturgeon complaining about Brexit.

"On the other, we now know at least half a dozen of their colleagues in the Scottish Parliament voted for it.

"Instead of using Brexit to pursue its narrow obsession with independence, the SNP needs to come up with some constructive ideas on how Scotland and the UK emerge stronger as we leave the EU.

"And SNP MSPs who voted for Brexit should have the gumption to explain in public what it now emerges they think in private."