BORIS Johnson has been warned that he can’t keep being a “democracy denier” if the SNP win a majority at next year’s Holyrood election.

Ian Blackford, the SNP’s leader at Westminster, insisted yesterday that there would be a second independence referendum.

During his trip to Scotland the Prime Minister said that not enough time had passed for another independence referendum to be held, saying the 2014 vote was a “once in a generation” event.

He said: “What I’m saying is that the Union is a fantastically strong institution. It’s helped our country through thick and thin.

“It’s very, very valuable in terms of the support we’ve been able to give to everybody throughout all corners of the UK, and we had a referendum on breaking up the Union a few years ago – I think only six years ago.

“That is not a generation by any computation and I think what people really want to do is see our whole country coming back strongly together, and that’s what we’re going to do.”

In response, Blackford told BBC’s Good Morning Scotland programme: “I’d simply say to Boris Johnson that he has to recognise the will of the people of Scotland and the expression of support that they’re giving to independence.

“What we will see next year in the elections is a very strong support for the SNP and for independence. Boris Johnson has to recognise that vote, he has to recognise democracy. He cannot be a democracy denier.

“We will win this argument, we will have that referendum in Scotland.

“Why is it right that we should be held in a union against the wishes of the people of Scotland?”

Johnson’s steadfast refusal to even countenance a referendum has reignited calls from with the SNP for an alternative route to independence.

MP Joanna Cherry has previously called for the Scottish Government to consider legal action.

Writing in The National earlier this week, she said it would be wrong to concede “that the fight against the coronavirus and dealing with its economic fallout precludes pursuing the goal of independence”.

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While in his weekly column for The Scotsman, former Scottish justice secretary Kenny MacAskill said it was “incredible” the SNP “has got itself into a position where some stalwarts question its commitment to the cause.”

He accused the party of “marching folk to the top of the hill and then back down again.”

He added: “Simply pointing to opinion polls and assuming that everything thereafter will fall into place is naïve. I’ve deeply devout friends who believe in the Messiah’s second coming but I’ll not hold my breath. Likewise, many independence supporters just don’t buy that another election victory will see Boris Johnson wilt.”

Meanwhile his Westminster colleague Angus MacNeil and Inverclyde councillor Chris McEleny have urged the party to consider a Plan B – where next year’s Holyrood vote becomes a de-facto referendum.

Blackford declined to comment on whether the party will seek legal action if a referendum is denied again, but didn’t rule it out.

On the so-called Plan B, Blackford insisted “Plan A is working”.

He added: “We will have that referendum in Scotland. Boris Johnson cannot retain this situation that he has got.

“This is an issue for him. Why is it right that we should be held in a union against the express wishes of the people of Scotland.

“We have a strategy that is an appealing one that people will rally round, that we will take that message to Westminster and we will make sure that is reflected not just here but abroad as well.

“Of course we have a range of options at our disposal. When we have that discussion on Plan A and Plan B, what I would say is Plan A is working but let’s make sure we win the election, let us make sure we get the referendum.”