The SNP would not push for an independence referendum in the first 100 days of a re-elected Nationalist Government.
Nicola Sturgeon today confirmed that her number one priority is keeping Scotland safe from coronavirus.
It comes after Alba, a rival pro-independence party headed by Alex Salmond, called for action on independence immediately after next months Holyrood election.
Sturgeon has said she supports indyref2 before the end of 2023, but only if it is safe to do so.
Other colleagues, such as SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford, previously suggested a referendum this year.
Todays first 100 days document, which lays out Sturgeons immediate priorities if she wins, puts the fight against covid front and centre of her post-election plan.
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Although the document mentions independence, it only does so in a generic way that repeats the SNPs support in principle for a referendum:
Of course, with the full powers of an independent country we could do so much more and Scotland would no longer be subject to a Tory Westminster government taking our country in the wrong direction.
The document adds: Our publicly run and owned NHS would be safe from Tory trade deals and the power-grab Westminster has launched on Holyrood, we would be able to escape Boris Johnsons job-destroying hard Brexit and we could re-build a social security system after years of deep Tory cuts that have hit working people and their families hard.
That is why it is essential that people in Scotland have the right to decide whether or not they wish to become independent, and we intend to offer that choice when the Covid crisis has passed.
In a new opinion poll published this morning, support for independence was at its lowest level since before the 2019 General Election.
The poll for The Scotsman newspaper, carried out by Savanta ComRes, asked 1,001 voters from across Scotland aged 16 or over between April 23 and 27.
If indyref2 was held tomorrow then 42 per cent of the people interviewed said they would vote ‘Yes’, while 49 per cent would mark the ‘No’ box on the ballot paper. Eight per cent of those asked were undecided.
After removing the undecided voters, the ‘No’ side of the argument would win with a similar margin to the 2014 vote.
