Former SNP leader Alex Salmond insists his successor Nicola Sturgeon is "sincere" in her pledge to explore options to keep Scotland both in the UK and European Union - but predicted her efforts will ultimately lead to independence.
The SNP foreign affairs spokesman was the headline speaker at the relaunch of the Scottish Independence Convention, a grassroots campaign for another referendum resurrected two years to the day since Scotland voted No in 2014.
Mr Salmond told the Press Association that Scotland is "on the brink of a new campaign to assert our nationhood".
Speaking after the Convention in Glasgow, he said: "Nicola Sturgeon has said that she is going to look at maintaining Scotland's position within Europe, however that can be done.
"I think she will discharge that mandate, I think she will make the offers to embed Scotland within the European negotiations.
"I'm quite certain that Nicola Sturgeon is sincere in putting that forward - of course she is - but what I am estimating is what Westminster is likely to do.
"They might prove me wrong, there may be a surprise, but it would be the first time in my political life that Westminster ever did anything for Scotland unless they had to do it.
"Therefore, my anticipation is they won't recognise Scotland, the vote in Scotland to stay within the European context, and then we will be talking about being engaged in another independence referendum."
He added: "The Brexit vote is not the reason for Scottish independence, but of course it is the mandate and the majority in the Scottish Parliament.
"Given the total vacuum of ideas at Westminster about their own future, never mind Scotland's, I think the movement is starting again to bring matters to the touch, and this time I think Yes will win.
"What I am certain of is that Nicola Sturgeon will assert her mandate from the Scottish people, which is to protect Scotland's position within the single market.
"The uncertainty is Westminster's reaction, but as far as we can tell from the varying attitudes from the Brexit ministers and the silence from the Prime Minister, she's more interested in keeping out Europeans than she is in being in the single market.
"I don't think that Westminster will have the flexibility, the wisdom, the sensitivity to Scotland's interests, to keep Scotland in the single marketplace, while they go out.
"Therefore, if that is the situation that arises over the next two years, then that is the likely timescale for another referendum.
"Now, Westminster can change that by recognising the vote that took place in Scotland this year.
"But nothing in the current behaviour of the new Prime Minister suggests that she has got the flexibility, the wisdom or the sensitivity to recognise Scotland's nationhood."
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