SCOTLAND’S First Minister Nicola Sturgeon suggested yesterday that a “soft” Brexit could push the prospect of a second independence referendum off the table in the short term.

In an interview with BBC Radio Scotland she said independence was the “direction of travel” for Scotland, but was willing to put it aside in the short term to seek “consensus and compromise” over Britain’s exit from the European Union.

But Radical Options for Scotland and Europe (ROSE) chairman Ian Davidson said that the SNP was simply biding its time as it wants to be sure of victory in a second referendum.

He said the SNP had “drawn up their proposals in such a way that they are unachievable, simply in order to give them the opportunity to call a referendum on separation if they think they can win it.”

Mr Davidson said it was likely that the nationalists “will never be satisfied by what is on offer.” He also warned that the “danger” with the SNP position was that “many of the positive elements within the SNP’s overall document on the EU are likely to be ignored simply because everyone knows they’re not serious negotiators.”

Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale said that Ms Sturgeon had failed to produce any “real evidence” as to how Scotland could keep its place in the single market if the rest of Britain leaves.

She said she had worked with the First Minister in good faith about protecting Scotland’s place in Europe, but said “good faith is fast becoming blind faith.”

The comments come as the SNP’s consultation on a draft Bill on a second Scottish independence referendum closes next week.

The Scottish government has also published proposals to protect Scottish interests in Europe, which include options to allow Scotland to remain in the single market even if Britain leaves, along with more powers for Holyrood.

Ms Sturgeon said she was committed to working with others “across the UK [and] across the political spectrum to try to keep the UK in the single market” and warned that a “hard” Brexit must be avoided as it would have a “devastating impact on our economy and on jobs.”

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