This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-40263711

The article has changed 12 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 4 Version 5
Sturgeon to face calls to abandon second independence vote Sturgeon says speculation about her plans for a referendum is "nonsense"
(35 minutes later)
Scotland's first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, is likely to face calls at Holyrood later to abandon her plans for a second independence referendum. Scotland's first minister has branded speculation about the impact of the general election on her plans for an independence referendum as "nonsense".
MSPs are expected to use a debate on the economy to argue that such a vote would cause damaging uncertainty for businesses. In a series of tweets, Nicola Sturgeon said she would set out the way forward "in due course after talking to people across the SNP".
Scottish ministers will argue that the main threat to the economy is Brexit. And she insisted she would take decisions in the best interests of Scotland, and not just her party.
Ms Sturgeon has said she will "reflect carefully" on her plans after the SNP lost 21 seats in the general election. She will face calls at Holyrood later to abandon her plans for a referendum.
She has conceded that proposals for a second vote on leaving the UK were a factor in the result. MSPs are expected to use a debate on the economy to argue that the continuing prospect of another vote on independence would cause damaging uncertainty for businesses.
Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson, who saw the number of Scottish Tory MPs rise from one to 13, has claimed: "Indyref2 is dead." But Scottish government ministers, who did not discuss an independence referendum in their first cabinet meeting since the election, will argue that the main threat to the economy is Brexit.
In what will be the first formal chance for MSPs to debate the general election result, the Tories, Labour and the Liberal Democrats will challenge the SNP to shelve plans for another referendum. Ms Sturgeon has previously said she will "reflect carefully" on her plans after the SNP lost 21 seats in the general election, but had conceded that her call for a second vote on leaving the UK was a factor in the result.
She had called in March for a referendum to be held either towards the end of next year or the spring of the following year, "when the terms of Brexit are known".
On Wednesday morning, the first minister tweeted that much of the media speculation about the implications of the election result for her referendum plans was "nonsense".
She added: "I'll set out way forward in due course after talking to people across @theSNP.
"I'll take decisions in best interests, not just of @theSNP, but of Scotland...and not be dictated to by demands for quick headlines!"
She went on to say that her government would focus on trying to influence Brexit talks - and repeated her claim that a "Tory led hard Brexit is simply not acceptable" in the wake of the election result.
Analysis by Brian Taylor, BBC Scotland political editor
Will the SNP abandon independence? No. Will they abandon a referendum as the conduit through which independence is achieved? Absolutely not.
So what are they doing? Well, they may need to change the nature of the language.
I think they feel that they didn't get across sufficiently the point that the referendum they want on independence is at the end of the Brexit process.
They kept saying: "When the prime minister says there shouldn't be a referendum now, we agree". So I think they will try and re-emphasise that.
That will not be sufficient for their pro-Union opponents, who will say they don't care how it is rebranded or that it is being placed in contradistinction to Brexit - it is not wanted and it is not needed.
Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson, who saw the number of Scottish Tory MPs rise from one to 13, has claimed that the SNP's losses in the election meant that "Indyref2 is dead".
In what will be the first formal chance for MSPs to debate the general election result, the Tories, Labour and the Liberal Democrats will call on the SNP to shelve plans for another referendum.
The Holyrood debate on "opportunities for growth" follows publication of the State of the Economy report by the Scottish government's chief economist.The Holyrood debate on "opportunities for growth" follows publication of the State of the Economy report by the Scottish government's chief economist.
The report confirmed growth overall in Scotland during 2016 of 0.4%, which was "below trend and expectation".The report confirmed growth overall in Scotland during 2016 of 0.4%, which was "below trend and expectation".
The oil and gas sector downturn continued to affect the economy last year, though there are emerging signs of confidence returning to the industry, the report found.The oil and gas sector downturn continued to affect the economy last year, though there are emerging signs of confidence returning to the industry, the report found.
Meanwhile, Scotland's labour market has "remained resilient", with unemployment below the UK figure and falling over the past year.Meanwhile, Scotland's labour market has "remained resilient", with unemployment below the UK figure and falling over the past year.
The report states: "Brexit continues to present a significant risk to business and consumer sentiment in Scotland with investment sensitive to changing market signals.The report states: "Brexit continues to present a significant risk to business and consumer sentiment in Scotland with investment sensitive to changing market signals.
"It also presents the greatest source of uncertainty for the outlook particularly beyond 2018. The range of independent forecasts for 2017 suggest growth of between 0.9% and 1.3% for Scotland.""It also presents the greatest source of uncertainty for the outlook particularly beyond 2018. The range of independent forecasts for 2017 suggest growth of between 0.9% and 1.3% for Scotland."
Analysis by Brian Taylor, BBC Scotland political editor
Will the SNP abandon independence? No. Will they abandon a referendum as the conduit through which independence is achieved? Absolutely not.
So what are they doing? Well, the may need to change the nature of the language.
I think they feel that they didn't get across sufficiently the point that the referendum they want on independence is at the end of the Brexit process.
They kept saying: "When the prime minister says there shouldn't be a referendum now, we agree". So I think they will try and re-emphasise that.
That will not be sufficient for their pro-Union opponents, who will say they don't care how it is rebranded or that it is being placed in contradistinction to Brexit - it is not wanted and it is not needed.
Economy Secretary Keith Brown said there was no doubt that the dip in oil and gas prices in recent years has had "a continuing effect on the Scottish economy".Economy Secretary Keith Brown said there was no doubt that the dip in oil and gas prices in recent years has had "a continuing effect on the Scottish economy".
But the minister said uncertainty around Brexit was the main concern for business leaders, while the "very rapid" depreciation in the price of oil and gas has had a major effect. Lower unemployment
The minister said uncertainty around Brexit was the main concern for business leaders, while the "very rapid" depreciation in the price of oil and gas has had a major effect.
But Mr Brown said there were signs of returning confidence and development activity in the North Sea, and pointed out that Scotland now has a lower unemployment rate than the UK as a whole.But Mr Brown said there were signs of returning confidence and development activity in the North Sea, and pointed out that Scotland now has a lower unemployment rate than the UK as a whole.
He told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme: "What we are now seeing with Brexit is the push up in inflation, the impact that is having on people's lives in terms of wages.He told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme: "What we are now seeing with Brexit is the push up in inflation, the impact that is having on people's lives in terms of wages.
"So that's the challenge we have now - but we have kept many people in employment throughout the recession and subsequent Brexit uncertainty.""So that's the challenge we have now - but we have kept many people in employment throughout the recession and subsequent Brexit uncertainty."