Sturgeon: New Independence Vote If People Want

Scottish National Party leader Nicola Sturgeon said she would not deny Scottish people a second vote on independence in the next parliament if it was what the public wanted.

Ms Sturgeon used her party's biggest ever conference to build the foundations for another referendum saying she "believed with all her heart" that Scotland should be independent.

She said there were no proposals for a second vote in the next parliament but said that if Scottish people's views changed then "we have no right to rule out a referendum".

Her comments in her opening speech at the party conference seemed to indicate that if her party achieve over half of the vote at the Scottish Parliamentary elections in May, she would consider it a mandate for another vote.

She has already indicated that any vote to leave the European Union would trigger another referendum on independence.

Ms Sturgeon told delegates: "So let me also be clear about this.

"If there is strong and consistent evidence that people have changed their minds and that independence has become the choice of a clear majority in this country, then we have no right to rule out a referendum and we won't do that either.

"No one has the right to stand in the way of democracy."

Ms Sturgeon also lashed out at Labour, saying the lack of unity in the party was playing into the hands of the Conservatives.

She said: "And as Labour becomes ever more divided, the Tories - under the cloak of centrist rhetoric - threaten to even more deeply divide our society.

"Tax credit cuts for the lowest paid, repeal of the human rights act, attacks on trade union freedoms and disgracefully divisive language on immigration ... this is not a Tory government moving to the centre."

And she said this week's u-turn over backing George Osborne's austerity plans had proved she could not work with the Labour party leadership.

She said: "You know, there is much that I hoped the SNP and Jeremy Corbyn could work together on.

"But over these last few weeks, it has become glaringly obvious that he is unable to unite his party on any of the big issues of our day."

Ms Sturgeon has said the party's 2016 Holyrood manifesto will set out the circumstances and timescale of another referendum.

She reached out to those who voted "No" to independence in 2014, and said she hopes to "inspire" them to back her party at the May elections

It is the largest gathering in the SNP's history, following its post-referendum membership surge, swelling numbers to 114,000.

They won't be joined, however, by Michelle Thomson, one of 56 SNP MPs elected to Westminster at the last election who is staying away.

The party's front bench spokesperson on business has withdrawn from the party whip amidst a police investigation into "back to back" property deals she was involved with in 2010-11.

She bought properties at knockdown prices from people in dire financial straits and desperate to sell. She then sold them on for a profit, sometimes on the same day.

Ms Thomson's lawyer has been struck off and is now the subject of a police investigation, while the MP herself denies any wrongdoing.