Independence supporters ‘disillusioned’ with SNP – Joanna Cherry

Liz Lloyd, Ms Sturgeon’s former chief of staff, told BBC Scotland’s Sunday Show it was “hardly breaking news” that her old boss and Ms Cherry did not like each other.

However, she said she was not convinced that that more prominence for pro-independence arguments would have improved the SNP performance at the election.

Mr Swinney said his government would have been “empowered” to begin negotiations for a second independence referendum if the SNP had won a majority of Scottish seats.

Ms Lloyd said the party was right to focus more on austerity and the cost of living.

She told the programme that the public know there is not going to be a referendum by the end of the current Scottish Parliament in 2026.

“So as you talk up independence, and you talk up what this election might mean for independence, the public are going ‘aye right’.

“That’s not coming, that’s not happening. It is a longer journey now.”

Ms Lloyd said independence would not happen until the “grassroots” independence movement has pushed support “significantly higher”.

Stephen Gethins, who was one of few SNP MPs to win a seat, said the party would have to listen to voters following the election.

“The public don’t get it wrong,” he told the Sunday Show, “You’ve got to reflect on the election result as it is.”