Nicola Sturgeon will kickstart the campaign for a second independence referendum by the end of 2023 tomorrow by publishing a series of papers on the benefits of independence.
The First Minister is planning to hold a press conference on Tuesday in Edinburgh alongside the leader of fellow pro-independence party, The Greens.
Sturgeon has pledged to hold a second referendum by the end of the year but faces stiff opposition both from Westminster and from pro-Union parties at Holyrood.
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This comes as former SNP leader Alex Salmond used an interview last weekend to urge Holyrood to pull “the firing gun” on a new independence campaign.
In an interview with BBC Scotland, Sturgeon was asked if tomorrow’s event would be the formal start of the IndyRef2 campaign.
The First Minister said: "Yes. We said we would after the covid situation allowed.
"Tomorrow, we will publish the first in what will be a series of papers making afresh the case for independence in an interdependent world.
"The world, both domestically and internationally, has changed substantially since Scotland voted in 2014.
"The first paper will very much be a scene-setter - it will look through a wealth of evidence at the economic and social performance of the UK and Scotland within that, compared to a range of other countries across Europe.
"The conclusion, very clearly, is Scotland could be doing much better as an independent country."
Asked when a bill would be introduced to pave the way for a referendum, Sturgeon said she would say more about legislation in "the weeks to come".
She added: "There are two principles that are really important in all of this.
"Democracy is the first. The Scottish people gave my party, my government, a mandate for an independence referendum in the election last year. I intend to honour that.
"The second principle is rule of law. Any process has to be lawful and legal.
"If we had a UK Government that respected democracy, that would be resolved in the way it was in 2014 with a Section 30 order."
However, the announcement has been condemned by opposition politicians who insist that ministers should be focusing on the cost of living crisis and the NHS.
Alex Cole-Hamilton, Scottish Lib Dem leader, said: "Nicola Sturgeon has launched more independence campaigns than ferries.
"This coalition is about one thing and one thing only. Ministers are devoting their attention, top civil servants and tens of millions of pounds to independence.
"They care more about their independence obsession than everyone stuck on the longest NHS waiting lists in history, the cost of living crisis or the climate emergency.
"Nobody believes education is Nicola Sturgeon’s top priority any more.
"The SNP and Greens are taking people for granted. Let’s lay aside talk of an independence referendum and get to grips with what matters right now."
Tory MSP Donald Cameron said: "Nicola Sturgeon is wilfully ignoring Scotland’s priorities to push ahead with plans for a second divisive independence referendum in 2023.
"The vast majority of Scottish people don’t want the distraction of another referendum next year.
"They want the government 100% focused on our recovery from the pandemic, the global cost-of-living crisis, supporting our NHS and protecting jobs.
"Yet Nicola Sturgeon is recklessly pressing ahead with her obsession anyway. This is nothing short of shameful when the country is facing so many momentous challenges.
"The distraction and disruption of another bitter referendum debate is the last thing Scotland needs right now.
"Nicola Sturgeon should be fully focused on helping people through this difficult period, not diverting government resources and vast sums of public money towards the SNP's obsession.
"The Scottish people want to see an SNP Government focused on key tasks such as building ferries, not on breaking up the UK."
