SNP to focus on protecting Scotland's interests in Brexit talks, says Blackford

SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford has said the party is to focus on “protecting Scotland's interests in Brexit” amid speculation Nicola Sturgeon is to put plans for a second independence referendum on hold.

Mr Blackford stressed the SNP remains “the party of Scottish independence” but added it had to “actually focus on the priorities which are there in front of us” such as working for the best deal when the UK leaves the European Union (EU).

Reports suggested Ms Sturgeon, the SNP leader and Scottish First Minister, is to put plans for a second independence referendum on hold to instead focus on delivering a soft Brexit.

A spokesman for the First Minister insisted these were “entirely speculative”.

Mr Blackford said: “The SNP is the party of Scottish independence and will remain so but what we have to do is to actually focus on the priorities which are there in front of us today, it's protecting Scotland's interests in Brexit, making sure we can deliver an alternative to austerity.”

The First Minister set out her timetable for a second referendum in March, saying a vote should be held between autumn 2018 and spring 2019 to give Scots - the majority of whom voted to stay in the EU - an alternative to Brexit.

But she has been “reflecting” on plans to hold another independence vote after the snap general election saw her party's share of the vote fall from 50% to 37% as it lost 21 Westminster seats.

The issue was discussed at the Scottish Government cabinet meeting last week, with Ms Sturgeon “likely” to set out her position before Holyrood goes into recess at the end of June.

The Sunday Mail reported a senior SNP insider as saying that in the wake of the general election - in which the Tories lost their overall majority at Westminster – “doing everything possible to help achieve a soft Brexit for the UK as a whole or Scotland is the priority”.

The insider added: “People can judge on the other side of the negotiations what they want to do about independence.”

A spokesman for Ms Sturgeon said: “Reports in today's newspapers are entirely speculative.

“We have always made clear our view that the people of Scotland should have a choice at the end of the Brexit process and the First Minister will set out her views on the way forward in the coming days.”

But Mr Blackford said a key part of his job as Westminster leader was working to “get the best deal for Scotland out of Brexit”.

Speaking on the BBC's Sunday Politics Scotland, he said: “One of the things I think is important is if we're going into the Brexit negotiations we need to wait and see what the outcome of that is.

“What we have continually said is that the people of Scotland, just like the members of any other European nation ... should be able to have their say on the final outcome of Brexit.”

He added: “What I'm doing is concentrating on the job I have, along with my colleagues at Westminster, which is standing up for Scotland.

“It's making sure we get the best deal for Scotland out of Brexit, challenging the Tories on austerity and, of course, the SNP is the party of independence.”

Opposition politicians at Holyrood insisted the SNP should drop plans for a second referendum “once and for all”.

Scottish Conservative deputy leader Jackson Carlaw said: “Rather than kicking indyref2 into the long grass, Nicola Sturgeon needs to take the threat of a second independence referendum off the table altogether.

The Tory MSP said: “The threat of an unwanted second referendum would only provide more uncertainty and risk.

“If Nicola Sturgeon wants to show that she really is listening to Scots then she needs to ditch these plans once and for all and get back to the day job.”

James Kelly, Scottish Labour's election campaign manager, said nationalists had not yet “cleared up confusion over the future of another independence referendum”.

He said: “Just hours after reports that Nicola Sturgeon is willing to put a second referendum on hold, her Westminster leader refused to say anything about a referendum on TV.

“All this confusion and distraction is eating up the energy of a government with a failing record.

“We don't have enough nurses in our hospitals, enough teachers in our schools or enough jobs in our economy under the SNP.

“This confusion and dithering needs to stop. Nicola Sturgeon needs to rule a referendum out this week, and pledge to get back to the day job.”

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said nationalists were “keeping the referendum on the table because for the SNP will always be independence first and foremost”.

He said: “If the First Minister wants to respect the message she was sent on June 8 then she must cancel her plans for another divisive independence until at least the end of this parliamentary term.