Jackson Carlaw told Express.co.uk that times it has felt like he is opposing a cult when politically battling against the SNP. He added that some supporters of Nicola Sturgeon's party openly accept messy domestic policies as long as Scottish independence remains a priority.

       Mr Carlaw said: "I talked earlier about decades of arguing with the Labour Party and the Liberal Democrats about policy.

       "I never felt that I was opposing a cult.

       "But at times with the SNP, it almost seems like an irrational cult.

       "I have talked to some nationalists who actually accept that some of the domestic agenda is a mess but they do not care, ultimately, if they can get independence.

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       "So I understand why the SNP has to focus on that."

       He continued: "Their first administration between 2007-2011 I actually thought it was about using the powers of the Scottish Parliament to do a job of Government in Scotland.

       "But I think now they have almost become hijacked by the need to propitiate this independence rhetoric.

       "I think the UK Government has been very resolute."

       During the same interview, Mr Carlaw warned the SNP Government it will not be able to escape its "failings" after more than a decade in power.

       Mr Carlaw told Express.co.uk that Nicola Sturgeon is running out of ideas and will not be able to disassociate herself with the Scottish Government's failings.

       The former leader of the Scottish Conservative Party added that Scotland is now facing problems that are a "direct consequence" of the SNP's 14 years in power.

       Mr Carlaw said: "She has run out of ideas, the issues on which the Scottish Government is failing will not go away.

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       "Then it will be difficult to disassociate herself from that.

       "The SNP were very fortunate when they were elected in 2007 because for the first time a government was elected that had no previous record of Government.

       "It had no legacy, nothing anything anybody could say- 'well you did that and it was your fault'.

       "The longer they are in power the harder it is for them to escape the fact that the problems that we face now are more often than not, a direct consequence of what they have done."