NICOLA Sturgeon is to set out her revised plans for a second independence referendum today.

The First Minister confirmed on Twitter that she would address MSPs on the issue this afternoon.

Ms Sturgeon, who cancelled a speech in London to chair the Scottish cabinet this morning, said: “I'll be seeking agreement of @ScotParl to make a statement later today on the way forward for Scotland after the General Election.”

The SNP Government has asked the other parties at Holyrood, through the parliamentary bureau, for a new time slot for the announcement.

Ms Sturgeon’s statement comes in the wake of the SNP suffering its worst electoral reverse for almost 40 years, when it lost 21 of the 56 seats it won in 2015, and saw its share of the vote fall from 50 to 37 per cent.

Meanwhile, the Tories, Labour and LibDems all gained seats in the general election after fiercely opposing Ms Sturgeon’s plan to hold a second referendum once the terms are Brexit are known by 2019.

Ms Sturgeon’s office recently confirmed there remained a “triple lock” for a new referendum based on the SNP’s 2016 Holyrood manifesto, a Holyrood vote in March, and the SNP winning most Scottish seats on June 8.

She is expected to extend her timetable for a new vote, but not rule one out entirely, despite Unionist demands for her to do so.

The current climate of political volatility, Brexit unknowns and the potential for a change of government at Westminster means public support for a referendum could yet increase.

Scottish Secretary David Mundell has ruled out the UK government giving MSPs the power to hold a referendum before 2021 - when Ms Sturgeon’s mandate expires.