Yes movement divided over referendum delay

Scottish Green co-convener Patrick Harvie, who had earlier in the day urged Ms Sturgeon to stick to her original timetable of a vote by spring 2019, said the delay meant Scots would now be the only people in Europe not to have a say on Brexit before it happens.

He said her decision not to advance legislation for a referendum until at least autumn 2018 meant there was “no chance” that Scotland would avoid being dragged out the EU.

He said: “Scotland has not consented to being taken out of the EU and certainly not by a Tory government we did not elect.

“If a Bill for a referendum is shelved until late next year, there is no chance that the people will have the opportunity to make their choice until after we’ve been dragged out of Europe, and out of the single market too. That means lost jobs, lost rights and lost opportunities.”

He said Ms Sturgeon’s shift in focus to influencing the Brexit talks “seems all well and good, but the UK government has shown zero interest in the views of all others” to date.

Colin Fox, national spokesman of the Scottish Socialist party, said Ms Sturgeon’s change of plan showed her original strategy was a “serious error of judgment”.

He said: “She has been forced into this retreat because she chose to go for a second referendum when we were behind in the polls and over Scotland's EU membership.

“She chose the wrong issue and the wrong time. Even today she puts membership of the EU and the Single Market ahead of Independence, when both options are long gone. The SNP tactics have set back the Independence cause.”

Mr Fox said that instead of “fixating” over Brexit, the independence movement should spend the next 18 months making the case for self-determination.

He said: “Any future referendum will be only won by convincing working class voters in areas where [Jeremy] Corbyn led a limited Labour revival that independence will make them economically, socially, politically and culturally better off.”

The pro-independence Business for Scotland group also said it wanted a vote before Brexit.

Chief executive Gordon MacIntyre-Kemp said: "Business for Scotland stresses the importance of this vote being held before the removal of Scotland from the EU against its wishes. People will then be able to weigh up appropriately the disadvantages of Brexit Britain over an option for a successful independent Scotland."

The disagreements came in spite of Ms Sturgeon trying to unite the Yes movement.

In her statement to MSPs, she said the recent focus on the timing of a second vote had obscured the arguments for independence.

She said: “The case for an independent Scotland is not just about Brexit - it goes far beyond that. Many of us already believe that independence is the right and best answer to the many, complex challenges we face as a country - and also the best way to seize and fully realise our many opportunities.

"But we must persuade the majority in Scotland of that. We have not done that yet.”

Despite the SNP launching a new donations drive for itself yesterday, not a cross-party campaign, Ms Sturgeon went on: “My party will engage openly and inclusively with, and work as part of, the wider independence movement.

“We will seek to support, engage and grow the movement, and build the case that having decisions made by us - not for us - offers the best future for Scotland."

“We will make, and seek to win the case that governing ourselves is the best way to tackle the challenges we face as country - from building a better balanced and more sustainable economy, to growing our population, strengthening our democracy, and tackling deep seated problems of poverty and inequality.”

Graeme Pearson, chief executive of Scotland in Union, said the First Minister had blown her chance to show “real leadership” and put the interests of the Scots people ahead of the SNP.

He said: “Instead, she has shown outright contempt for public opinion, cranked up the government’s grievance machine and signalled she will be putting all her efforts into exploiting Brexit to achieve independence.

“The General Election confirmed what poll after poll has shown – the people of Scotland do not want another referendum on Scottish independence. The First Minister’s failure to accept this shows how desperate and out of touch she has become.”

Scottish Chambers of Commerce director Liz Cameron said she welcomed Ms Sturgeon’s plan for the Scottish Government to play a full and integral role in the Brexit negotiations.

“We also want to see wider Scottish interests, including our business community, represented in this,” she said.

Bookies William Hill lengthened the odds on a second referendum by the end of 2020 from 6/4 to 2/1n, but said the chance of one before 2024 remained 5/6.