Boris Johnson has written to Nicola Sturgeon in what could be one of his final acts as Prime Minister to reject her demand for a second referendum on Scottish independence.
The Tory leader has endured a brutal 24 hours in Downing Street which has seen more than 30 members of his government resign.
Speculation is mounting that Johnson could be ousted as PM in a matter of hours after Sajid Javid and Rishi Sunak led a Cabinet revolt against him.
But the Conservative leader still had time to send correspondence to the First Minister in Edinburgh.
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In a letter shared by Sturgeon, Johnson wrote: "I have carefully considered the arguments you set out for a transfer of power from the UK Parliament to the Scottish Parliament to hold another independence referendum.
"As our country faces unprecedented challenges at home and abroad, I cannot agree that now is the time to return to a question, which was clearly answered by the people of Scotland in 2014."
The letter continued: "Our shared priorities must be to respond effectively to the global cost of living challenge, to support our NHS and public services as they recover from the huge disruption of the Covid-19 pandemic, and to play our leading part in the international response to Russian aggression in Ukraine.
"These are common challenges across the United Kingdom, which deserve our full attention."
Responding to the letter, the First Minister said: "Just received this from Johnson (one of his last acts as PM?).
"To be clear, Scotland will have the opportunity to choose independence - I hope in a referendum on October 19, 2023, but, if not, through a general election.
"Scottish democracy will not be a prisoner of this or any PM."
The First Minister had raised the issue of an IndyRef2 when she spoke with Johnson via telephone on Monday evening.
It was the first time the pair had spoken since she outlined her referendum plans to the Scottish Parliament last week.
Sturgeon had earlier written to the PM to ask to negotiate the terms of a section 30 order- which would temporarily transfer the power to hold a referendum from Westminster to Holyrood.
The Supreme Court was also asked to rule on whether the Scottish Government has the power to hold a vote without UK government approval.
If it rules that Holyood does not have the power to hold a referendum, Sturgeon has claimed the next general election would be a "de facto referendum".
Sarah Boyack, Scottish Labour' constitution spokeswoman, said: "The people of Scotland are being failed by an SNP government at Holyrood that is obsessed with separation and an imploding and corrupt Tory government at Westminster.
"Boris Johnson and Nicola Sturgeon are two sides of the same coin.
"Neither the Tories nor the SNP are focused on tackling the cost of living crisis or rebuilding our services from the pandemic, and both are damaging the future of devolution."
Scottish Greens MSP Gillian Mackay said: "It is very much in character that, as one of his final acts as Prime Minister, Boris Johnson has once again sought to frustrate the democratic will of the people of Scotland.
"This letter comes as yet another slap in the face to the people of Scotland, who have repeatedly sent pro independence majorities to Holyrood and Westminster.
The people will not continue to be held hostage by the most unpopular Prime Minister in history."
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