A second independence vote would affect the Scottish Government’s ability to get on with the ’day job’, a former Scottish justice minister has warned.

But the effect would be tiny in comparison to Brexit, Kenny MacAskill writes in today’s Herald, as he accuses the Conservatives of “gross hypocrisy” over the issue.

Last month Prime Minister Theresa May said Nicola Sturgeon was treating politics “like a game” and that Scots deserved a First Minister “who is focused on their priorities – raising standards in education, taking care of the health service, reforming criminal justice, helping the economy prosper, improving people’s lives.”

The Scottish Conservatives have also criticised Ms Sturgeon's visit to America this week.

But Mr MacAskill, who points out that Mrs May is herself currently on a trip to Saudi Arabia, defends the desire to promote Scotland to a significant trading partner, such as the US.

But, he says that the Tories “have a point” when it comes to how a second Scottish independence referendum would affect the day-to-day running of the Scottish Government.

“It was noticeable during the period running up to 2014 and will remain the same now. There’s only so much a Government can do and politics is as ever about priorities," he says.

However, he argues, the effect of another referendum would be dwarfed by that of dealing with the consequences of leaving the European Union.

“For sure they (the Conservatives) are right that a second referendum will slow, though not stop the wheels of Government, on more mundane issues," he writes.

"But, it’s all as nothing to what Brexit will do and after all it’s the driver for all of this.”