SNP MSP Stuart McMillan has said there is "still a job to do" to garner support for Scottish independence.

At a rally of hundreds of independence supporters outside the Scottish Parliament, McMillan echoed the calls of the First Minister in her speech on Friday, when she urged activists to engage in "conversations" with floating voters.

McMillan was speaking as the trade union Unison announced its endorsement for another referendum, which was supported "overwhelmingly" by union members at a meeting of its Scottish council in Glasgow - an announcement which raised cheers from the crowds when the news broke.

Addressing the crowd, McMillan asked attendees to introduce themselves to someone in the crowd they did not know.

He said: "For us to win the fight for independence, we need to talk to more people.

"We're not yet over that threshold. The opinion polls have shown it's around 50%, last week they said it was 51% - we've still got a job to do.

"We need to talk to more people."

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McMillan said there were around 40% of the Scottish electorate who would never support independence and the 45% who voted to leave the UK in 2014 is still there, leaving 15% of floating voters who could be convinced of the cause.

McMillan described the UK leaving the European Union as a "game-changer" for the independence movement, proclaiming himself "still a European" to cheers from the crowd.

He added: "I don't believe in little Britain, I believe in a larger Europe."

Despite McMillan's assertions, some in the crowd were unhappy at the First Minister's speech on Friday.

Paul Robertson, who had travelled to Edinburgh with his son Colin for the rally, said he was "disappointed" at the First Minister's statement, but added that he "had no illusions" she would announce "a fantastic plan".

The 65-year-old also said he believed independence was "the only way" for Scotland.

Rory Hall, 31, said that Brexit sums up the differences between Scotland and the rest of the UK, saying: "It's about a realisation that we're very different to our neighbours in the UK."

Andrew Allan, 55, who has been campaigning for independence since 1997, said the rally was about "showing a wee bit of solidarity" within the independence movement.

He added: "It think it's looking quite good for Scotland."

But the Edinburgh resident admitted it was "too close to call" in terms of support for independence, and urged caution on the timing of the next referendum, saying it should not be rushed.

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A small counter-protest - featuring around five people - formed across the street from the rally, led by a Force for Good, which director Alistair McConnachie said was to represent the views of those who support the UK.

McConnachie, who was thrown out of the UK Independence Party (Ukip) after saying he did not believe gas chambers were used to kill Jews in Second World War concentration camps - comments he told the Sunday Herald in 2018 he "stands by" - said his group was there to "celebrate Brexit and tell the people (at the rally) they lost".

He added: "They must be getting tired of losing so often, they need to come over and join the winning team."