MICHAEL Gove is pushing Scotland towards independence more than the SNP by ignoring concerns over Brexit and a devolution "power grab", according to Scottish Labour's former deputy leader.

Alex Rowley made the claim as MSPs quizzed the UK Government minister over laws which aim to set an internal market once powers return from the EU to Westminster.

The plans have been criticised by farmers, education bodies, parliament committees and academics as a risk to devolution and food standards.

Rowley said the Brexit internal market bill is not a power surge, as claimed by Tories, but is a power grab. He also repeated warnings about trade deals leading to an NHS sell-off.

"That's why the people of Scotland are revolting on mass around these issues and it is why you will pave the way to independence in Scotland, not the SNP, but you and your friend the Prime Minister," Rowley said.

READ MORE: Holyrood and Westminster dispute over Brexit power grab bill could go to court

Gove said the claim is "irrational and absurd", adding: "I haven't seen any evidence of that."

A series of opinion polls have put independence ahead of the pro-Union vote, with one recent survey putting support for independence at 55%, reversing the result of the 2014 referendum.

The SNP are on course to dominate the Holyrood election next May and take a fourth term in office.

Gove added: "I don't think this is the talk of the steamie, I don't think it's the case that people in Aberdeen and Auchtermuchty are looking at the UK Internal Market Bill and saying this is a Trojan horse to the privatisation of the NHS."

On any potential NHS privatisation after Brexit, Gove said: "This is a totally confected political myth and the truth of course is what we're doing is protecting the internal market and maintaining high standards."

The Scottish Government has put forward a legislative consent memorandum at Holyrood criticising the bill, saying it "risks more uncertainty and confusion for businesses and consumers" and "encouraging harmful deregulation".

Gove told MSPs on the Scottish Parliament's constitution committee that there would be no "race to the bottom" in regulations, saying the UK government had been a "world leader" in environmental and animal standards.

He said: "The idea the UK government would compromise our high animal welfare standards is for the birds.

"It may be a lurid fantasy for some that it's the secret agenda of the UK government to use this as a Trojan horse to privatise the NHS, but that's one of the most absurd, ludicrous and irrational fantasies I've heard in my political lifetime. The NHS is not for sale under any circumstances.

"There are some people who are anxious to spread myths about the UK government, but if you look at the evidence you will see the way we have supported the NHS and invested in the NHS in an unprecedented way. The whole thing is ludicrous."

He was also pressed on whether or not the UK government would go ahead with the bill even if MSPs do not give their backing to it.

The Sewel Convention states that the UK government would "not normally" legislate across devolved areas without the express consent of devolved administrations.

Gove said "nothing would give me greater pleasure" than winning consent for the bill from MSPs, but said "leaving the EU is not a normal occurrence, it is an exceptional one".

While he said the UK government would not halt the progress of the legislation, he said "we will seek to properly and better understand any concerns" and make amendments in the Lords if needed.