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The revelation was made by SNP MEP Alyn Smith, now an MP for Stirling. He interviewed Ursula von der Leyen – the European Commission President – and asked her about Scottish politics as well as the ongoing Brexit talks. In July 2019, Mr Smith drew parallels between Ms Sturgeon and Ms von der Leyen, saying: “I’d like to invite you to Scotland to come and see our very pro-European sentiment. “You’ll be very welcomed by our very strong First Minister who’s a very strong pro-European lady.”

Ms Von der Leyen claimed she was “a fan” of the SNP leader.

She responded: “I know, I’m a fan of hers. And as I have a child studying in the UK, I know first-hand how the debates are. So, respect and good luck.”

Mr Smith also asked her to confirm that “the UK could revoke Article 50 up to the very last minute without political consequences and that the door is open for us to do so”.

Ms Von der Leyen said: “Yes, the door is open, because we want you in. And the political consequences are way harder when it comes the other way round – so, as we’ve said, we want you in, we are prepared for whatever happens … but if we are to choose, we want you in.”

Speaking afterwards, Mr Smith described her comments as hugely significant.

He even claimed that the comments show how the EU’s highly influential figure is just as eager as Ms Sturgeon to stop Brexit going ahead.

He said: “This is a game changer. Where the process whereby Ms von der Leyen came to be appointed certainly had its faults, she has shown herself to be exactly in line with Scotland in our efforts to stop Brexit.

“Her comments on Ms Sturgeon and her acceptance of my invitation to come to Scotland show a good understanding of where Scotland is coming from and what we want to see.

“There are of course a lot of issues facing the EU and the world, but we were sent here to stop Brexit.

“Ms von der Leyen has confirmed herself as an ally in this, she did her candidacy a lot of good with her clear comments.”

Ms Sturgeon, the SNP and other Remain parties failed to prevent the UK from leaving the EU, but she hasn’t given up hope of taking Scotland back in.

The Scottish First Minister has pushed for a second independence referendum in order to take Scotland out of the UK, and reopen the door into the bloc.

She has recently said that Brexit will speed up Scotland’s independence process.

The day after the referendum in 2016, she said following a meeting at Bute House that “behind all the bluff and bluster, this government and the path it is pursuing are dangerous”.

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She added: “It became clear to me that this government, the new prime minister, has set the UK on an almost inevitable path to a no-deal Brexit.

“The position it has taken makes it very difficult to see how any deal can be struck with the EU and I think that would be catastrophic for Scotland and indeed for the whole of the UK.

“I made abundantly clear to Boris Johnson my opposition to Brexit and to no-deal. I also made it clear to him that the people of Scotland should be able to chart their own course and choose their own future, not have that future imposed upon them.”

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