West Scotland MSP Jamie Greene says another referendum on Scottish independence would be “divisive” in a time when focus should be on recovering from the pandemic.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon outlined plans earlier this month for the start of a referendum campaign, which could end up with another vote.

The country voted to remain in the UK back in 2014 by 55 per cent to 45 per cent, but another vote has always been on the table.

However, Conservative MSP Jamie Greene says local services are suffering as a result of the SNP’s “obsession” for independence, and has urged them to drop their plans to hold another vote.

He said: “The SNP are ramping up their push for another divisive, distractive referendum when all the focus should be on covid recovery, improving public services and the cost-of-living crisis.

“The SNP are distracted by their endless obsession of stoking grievance with the rest of the UK and sadly local public services across North Ayrshire are suffering as a result of this distraction.

“There are 101 other important issues which the SNP should be prioritising – sorting public transport, NHS waiting times, increasing police numbers, education, ferries and the drug death crisis.

“Those are the things people want our taxpayer funded Scottish Government to be focussing on, not churning out meaningless plans for an issue we resolved already.

“Nicola Sturgeon would do well to give it a rest for a while and start governing with the extensive powers she already has!”