THE Scottish Government has provoked anger after deciding Holyrood should close down in the run-up to next year's independence referendum.
Opposition parties said the move was an "affront to democracy" and "blatant manipulation" of the Scottish Parliament.
Under plans set to be pushed through by the SNP today, Holyrood's long summer recess will be altered next year to let MSPs concentrate on the independence campaign.
Parliament will rise at the start of July as usual, but return for a three-week spell in the middle of August, before closing again for the four weeks prior to the September 18 vote.
In other years, Holyrood has closed from the start of July through to early September.
The Government's plan will not give MSPs extra time off – next year's recess will still amount to nine weeks in total – but the move will allow the SNP's best-known figures to campaign solidly ahead of the vote.
Equally, MSPs representing pro-Union parties will be able to campaign for a No vote.
The plans are expected to be approved by Holyrood's business bureau, the body which sets parliament's timetable and which is dominated by the SNP.
Scottish Conservative chief whip John Lamont said: "The SNP has long ditched its pledge to try and reach a consensus with parties in the Scottish Parliament.
"This is yet another example of the SNP using their majority to bully the Parliament to suit their own separatist agenda.
"The public will be appalled that rather than turn up for work, MSPs will be off for a month in the lead up to the referendum. It is an affront to democracy and means there will be no-one to hold the Scottish Government to account."
Paul Martin, Scottish Labour's business manager, said: "The business of government, which the SNP was elected to carry out, needs to go on and the public would not expect Scotland's politicians to put the day job on hold for four weeks so they can campaign in the referendum.
"Given Alex Salmond's plans for breaking up the United Kingdom are being exposed on a weekly basis by Johann Lamont, it is no wonder he is running scared of the tough questions in parliament.
"The idea that the First Minister can open or close parliament at his whim has terrifying consequences for Scottish democracy."
Scottish Liberal Democrat business manager Alison McInnes said: "This is a blatant manipulation of the parliamentary diary by the SNP to make way for referendum campaigning.
"They should wake up to the fact that schools will continue to teach children, hospitals will continue to treat patients and our justice system will continue to uphold the law.
"In the same way, the Scottish Parliament should continue to carry out its duties, including holding the government to account."
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