BORIS Johnson’s position over indyref2 is unsustainable, the SNP’s Kate Forbes has said. 

Speaking to BBC Breakfast on the first day of the party’s annual conference, the Scottish Government’s Finance Secretary said the next referendum would be “after the pandemic”. 

The minister rejected claims that the SNP Government would “push for an advisory referendum” if the Prime Minister rejected a Section 30 order. 

Forbes said: “Well any referendum has to be legally recognised and internationally recognised, so that answers that question.

She added: “Every time the UK Government says no to another independence referendum - which is so clearly against the settled will of the people of Scotland - all they do is boost support for independence.

“So their position, Boris Johnson's position is unsustainable.”

Forbes said she hoped that vote would come in the “first part of the next Parliament.”

She said: “If you look at the last few months we've had 14 polls in a row, which show a sustained and majority support for independence in Scotland. 

“Right now, the Government's job, in which I serve, is focused solely on coronavirus, whether that's on the health elements, or the economic crisis. But clearly when it comes to a point after the pandemic - and there will be an after the pandemic, there is hope on the horizon - we need to decide how we recover and what the future is for Scotland.

“And clearly if you look at those polls, the continued growth in support for independence, and the fact that we want to take different decisions and take the country in a different direction, then yes, there should be that choice in front of the people of Scotland, hopefully in the first part of the next parliament.”

The timing of the next vote will be one of the dominant themes of this year's conference.

On Thursday, Nicola Sturgeon said a referendum could be held “in the earlier part” of the next parliamentary session. A number of senior SNP figures have said it could happen as soon as next year.

SNP MP Ian Blackford told the Sunday National that the party needed to plan for the referendum to "take place in 2021.” 

Michael Russell told the BBC that the vote could take "before the end of next year.” 

And in an interview with the Daily Record, Keith Brown, depute SNP leader, said: “I want to see the referendum held at a point when we can get the best advantage, obviously, for the Yes side, and that will be when we get people out on the streets actually campaigning.”

Asked if it could be held late next year, he said: “If it's safe, then that’s when we should do it.

“I think the Electoral Commission, though, have said that any referendum should have a period of six months campaigning in advance of it, so that gives you a very tight window in May, and that would require everything to go extremely smoothly with the vaccine.”

The First Minister is due to open the conference today. She will tell delegates that Scotland is “now a nation on the cusp of making history.”

“Independence is in clear sight – and with unity of purpose, humility and hard work I have never been so certain that we will deliver it.

“The people of Scotland have the right to choose their future. Let’s now focus all our efforts on making sure we bring about that better country they and future generations deserve.”

She will say support for independence among Scots has now “risen to become the sustained and majority view in public opinion”.

She will add: “While our primary focus must remain on eliminating Covid-19 from our shores, for which we have renewed hope, Scotland must be ready for what comes next. And I know we will be.”