IAN Blackford has spoken of his “love” of Westminster life and friendships with Unionists.

The SNP’s Westminster leader revealed he had urged colleagues not to disrespect the Commons, despite the party’s mantra that it is there to “settle up, not settle down”.

He also told an audience at the Edinburgh Fringe that he was good friends with a number of politicians in other parties, including a Tory peer and the leader of the DUP.

Mr Blackford, who accepted £6,000 in donations from a Tory-supporting hedge fund manager for his 2015 and 2017 election campaigns, likened it to football.

He said: “I'm a Hibs fan. People support different teams. Should I not get on with somebody because they support a different football team? It’s daft.”

On the subject of independence, he said Scotland would have a second referendum “one way or the other”, whether by agreement with London, a Supreme Court ruling, or fighting the next general election as a de facto referendum on the issue.

However he was vague on the timing.

Nicola Sturgeon has said she wants a second independence vote in October next year if it is legally possible.

Mr Blackford said both the SNP and the Greens stood on a Holyrood manifesto promise of having a referendum on independence. 

He said: “There’s an independence majority, and Westminster should recognise that it’s the right of those who live in Scotland to have that debate. 

"It’s not a good look for any Prime Minister in Westminster to keep saying, ‘No, you can’t’.

"That is a denial of democracy, so of course on the basis of that we’re having to go to the Supreme Court, let’s see what happens.

"I hope that there is an opinion in our favour, and then we can get on and have that debate.”

He added: "One way or the other, that referendum will happen.  And I have to say, I’m pretty confident not only will that debate happen, but Scotland will vote to become an independent country.”

Speaking about his vast Ross, Skye and Lochaber constituency, he said: “First and foremost the constituents expect you to represent them. 

“And I will admit, for someone who wanted Scotland to be independent, for us to be out of Westminster, I would say to colleagues, Never disrespect the place.

“There is that sense.. you’re in a place where you’ve a job to do.

“And I love the chamber, I love the debate, I love the cut and thrust that you have with those in other parties.”

Speaking about the need for cross-party respect in politics, he said: “Because somebody's in another party, on the other side, it doesn't mean that they've not got good ideas, and you've got to be open to have a debate about how you change Scotland for the better.

“And that's one of the things that I do hope that we see, particularly in the independence debate, that it's respectful, and we allow people to express opinions about how they can change this country for the better.”

Asked if political opponents could be friends, the former Edinburgh financier said: “Yes.

“Of course you can.

“Because I think you've got a responsibility to put your case. 

“And I will often say that when you come over the chamber, that you leave that behind because we're all human beings. 

“Most people come into politics because they have a calling to improve public life. 

“And I might disagree vehemently with Jacob Rees-Mogg, Iain Duncan Smith, but it doesn't mean that I will disrespect them.

“They have, perhaps, different values that I might have. 

“There are times when you do work together. 

“Before I was SNP Westminster leader, I worked with the likes of Margaret Hodge on the Labour side and Dominic Raab at the time, to make sure that we got the Magnitsky legislation on the statute so that we could take action against those that are guilty of human rights abuses. 

“When I was the SNP pensions spokesperson, I developed quite a strong friendship with the Tory pensions minister Richard Harrington, who's now gone into the House of Lords, and I've got no problem saying to people that Richard is a very good friend of mine.”

Mr Blackford also said that in an interview with the Belfast Telegraph, the DUP leader SIr Jeffrey Donaldson, one of the staunchest Unionists in the country, had named him as one of two friends from other parties. 

 “He made the point that we have different political views, but we get along.

“Why shouldn't people do that? Why would you actually not have any kind of relationship with someone just because they have a different political view? 

“I'm a Hibs fan. People here will support different teams. Should I not get on with somebody because they support a different football team? It’s daft.

“We want people that are political opponents to be able to treat each other in a civil manner.”