Jackson Carlaw told Express.co.uk that the 2014 once-in-a-generation vote on Scottish independence means Nicola Sturgeon's SNP does not have a mandate for another public vote on the issue in the near future. The former Scottish Conservative Party leader added that the SNP would not give up if Scotland voted to remain part of the UK for a second time, claiming their independence campaign would never end.

       Mr Carlaw said: "If we had not had a referendum in 2014 if we had never posed the binary question then I think there would be an argument for it [a referendum].

       "But it is because the SNP did so well in the Scottish Parliamentary election in 2011 that those of us that felt it was reasonable to test the atmosphere in Scotland after 300 years of the union by holding a referendum were persuaded that we should have that once in a generation vote and we did.

       "At the time they told their own supporters it was a once-in-a-generation vote.

       "I expect to hold them to that, the Edinburgh agreement and everything that was said.

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       "Unless they can demonstrate that significantly more people now support independence than support the union as expressed in that referendum then I do not think the mandate exists.

       "One of the things I most object to in all of this is that if we even had a second independence referendum and those in favour of the union won it, they would then start the campaign for a third referendum.

       "They would not suddenly say the SNP does not believe in independence, It would never end."

       The SNP won the 2021 Holyrood election falling just one short of an overall majority.

       The 2021 election victory was the SNP's fourth consecutive win in Scotland.

       On Wednesday, former SNP leader Alex Salmond told LBC that Nicola Sturgeon risks handing the initiative to Westminster regarding Scottish independence if she continues to delay exercising her mandate from the 2021 Holyrood elections.

       He added that the SNP's victory in the Scottish Parliamentary elections makes the mandate for a second independence referendum absolutely clear.

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       Mr Salmond said: "I do not have the responsibility now, Nicola does.

       "My advice as far as it is worth would be to get on with it.

       "The longer this mandate is being delayed in being exercised the more the initiative will lie with Westminster."

       He added: "The mandate from this election for Nicola Sturgeon is absolutely clear."