Nicola Sturgeon 'confident' majority will support independence in next few years

In a clear signal that she is preparing for a second independence referendum, the First Minister said she was "confident that over the next few years" voters north of the border will be ready to go it alone.

But Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson accused the SNP leader of breaking her promise that the 2014 referendum would be a ‘once in a generation’ event.

Speaking in a Scottish Parliament debate, Nicola Sturgeon said: "In the months to come, we will also lead a renewed debate about how the enduring principle of the that case – that decisions about Scotland are best taken by people who live here – is relevant to, demanded by, the circumstances of the world we live in today.

"In so doing, I am confident that over the next few years, we will build majority support for that position.”

Her comments come four months before the next Holyrood election, which opinion polls suggest will hand the Nationalists an overwhelming majority.

Davidson called on unionist voters to back her party to provide an effective opposition to the SNP.

She said: "The Labour party has had nine years and six leaders since this SNP government came to power, to act as a competent and effective official opposition.

“And in those nine years they have comprehensively failed in the only two duties an official opposition has. They have failed to hold the government to account and they have failed to put forward to a positive alternative vision for our country.

"I think something in Scotland needs to change and if the electorate won’t change the government in May, they should consider changing the official opposition."