Nicola Sturgeon has been urged to "stand by" her pledge to hold a second referendum on Scottish independence despite the escalating war in Ukraine.
The First Minister is committed to staging an IndyRef2 by the end of 2023 - and her government is expected to soon publish a legislative timetable on how such a vote will be delivered.
But there have been calls for independence planning to be dropped amid the cost of living crisis and the worsening security situation in eastern Europe.
Kevin Pringle - a former SNP communications chief - last week claimed it was now "unlikely" a referendum could happen within Sturgon's preferred timetable given the legislative hurdles left to be cleared.
Now, a former Yes campaign chief has insisted the SNP leader should push forward with the party's manifesto commitment to hold an IndyRef2.
Dennis Canavan - a former Labour MP who served as chairman of the 2014 independence campaign's board - said all politicians should be working towards peace in Ukraine but added it was not an "excuse" to postpone the vote.
He told the Record: "I would not like to think that any Unionist politician would stoop to using the horrendous situation in Ukraine as an excuse to postpone IndyRef2," he said.
"Politicians of all persuasions should agree to work, hope and pray for an early, peaceful solution to the war in Ukraine.
"In the meantime, the First Minister should stand by her commitment to hold IndyRef2 next year."
Pringle, who also served as a special advisor to Alex Salmond, wrote in a Sunday newspaper column: "It is unwise to make any definite predictions in such volatile times, but it seems reasonable to say out loud that an independence referendum is unlikely to take place by the end of next year, given the hurdles to be overcome and extensive preparations required.
"I don't think the war in Ukraine has changed this, in the sense that it was no more likely before the Russian invasion and all the destruction and instability being wreaked."
Ian Blackford, SNP leader at Westminster, has insisted the Ukraine war would not put off IndyRef2 planning.
He told the BBC: "Is anybody suggesting that Putin should determine the timeline for an independence referendum in Scotland?"
He added: "We fought an election last year, which the SNP won, we now have an agreement with the Greens, there's a majority for independence."
Alex Cole-Hamilton, Scottish Lib Dem leader, said this week : "Let’s lay aside talk of an independence referendum and get to grips with what matters right now.
“That starts with getting Scotland back on its feet after two years of the pandemic and by recognising that our people are facing the biggest hit to household budgets in a generation.”
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