Stephen Flynn has said independence is key to escaping the "Westminster-made cost of living crisis" ahead of the SNP's independence convention.
The SNP Westminster Leader warned "millions of people are seeing their incomes hammered because of Brexit, Tory cuts and other damaging decisions imposed by Westminster against Scotland's will".
His comments come ahead of the SNP's independence convention on Saturday. The party is set to hammer out its independence strategy at Dundee's Caird Hall.
The SNP was initially due to hold a special conference in March but it was postponed due to Nicola Sturgeon's resignation as First Minister.
The conference was proposed after the Scottish Government lost its Supreme Court case to hold its own referendum in November.
Sturgeon had suggested using the next general election as a de facto referendum, but some parliamentarians were not in favour of this.
Flynn said: "Independence will be at the centre of the SNP's election campaign - it is the essential key to securing prosperity and escaping the Westminster-made cost of living crisis.
"Millions of people are seeing their incomes hammered because of Brexit, Tory cuts and other damaging decisions imposed by Westminster against Scotland's will - with mortgages, food prices and energy bills soaring.
"The SNP is the only party offering real change with independence. It's the only route back to the EU and only with the full powers of independence can Scotland achieve our full potential.
"The Tories and pro-Brexit Labour Party only offer more of the same damaging policies that got the UK into this mess - obsessing over Brexit, imposing cuts and creeping privatisation, attacking devolution and denying Scotland's democratic right to choose our own future.
"In contrast, the SNP will always stand up for Scotland's interests and fight Scotland's corner. With independence, we can regain our place in Europe and ensure Scotland's vast energy wealth is reinvested in our communities to deliver growth, boost incomes and cut bills.
"At the next election, voting SNP is the only way to secure independence, tackle the cost of living and get rid of unelected Tory governments for good."
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