THE TORIES have ruled out indyref2 for another "25 or 40" years.
The Secretary of State for Scotland, Alister Jack, made the comments in an interview with the BBC.
He made clear the UK Government would refuse another independence referendum "for a generation".
Nicola Sturgeon compared it to Donald Trump's refusal to accept defeat to Joe Biden.
The comments came as a 12th opinion poll suggested the majority of Scots now backed independence.
When asked if ministers were ruling out a referendum for the full term of the next Scottish Parliament, regardless of the election outcome, Jack said "it's no for a generation".
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Asked to define a generation, he said: "Is it 25 years or is it 40 years? You tell me. But it's certainly not six years, nor 10".
The Secretary of State added: "It's very clear that it's no because a generation hasn't passed. We've had two referenda in the last six years and they've been quite divisive for our society. They create quite a lot of uncertainty for business. What we need to do now is refocus on building our economy and give business certainty.
"That creates more jobs. That improves people's livelihoods"
As we’re seeing across the Atlantic just now, politicians who rage against democracy don’t prevail. Let’s not dignify this rubbish. Instead let’s keep making and winning the case for independence. Power doesn’t belong to politicians - it belongs to the people. #indyref2 https://t.co/roCXLAEBYj
— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) November 6, 2020
Responding to the interview on social media, the First Minister tweeted: "As we’re seeing across the Atlantic just now, politicians who rage against democracy don’t prevail. Let’s not dignify this rubbish. Instead let’s keep making and winning the case for independence. Power doesn’t belong to politicians - it belongs to the people. #indyref2"
Yesterday a poll for Survation found 54% of Scots were now in favour of independence, while 46% want to stay in the Union.
SNP depute leader Keith Brown welcomed the poll’s findings: “After 12 straight polls know the fundamental shift in favour of independence is the settled will of the Scottish people."
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