But she added: “While I take nothing for granted, I suspect support for independence will be even higher if it becomes clear that it is the best or only way to protect our interests”.
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The SNP has pushed for Scottish independence for years and Sturgeon was an instrumental figure during the last referendum campaign and vote, when she was deputy first minister of Scotland under Alex Salmond’s leadership.
Sturgeon argues that Britain’s June vote to leave the European Union, dragging Scotland with it, had shifted the debate dramatically just two years after Scots voted by 10 percentage points to reject independence.
Speaking in Stirling, she will call it the “biggest political listening exercise” in the party’s history.
Referring to last week’s government expenditure and revenue Scotland figures – which revealed a deficit of almost £15m – as “not a verdict on independence but an indictment of generations of Westminster government”, she announced a new party growth commission, chaired by the former MSP Andrew Wilson.
He said: “If the SNP were really listening to the people of Scotland they would be focusing on the bread and butter issues that matter to Scots like our public services”.
“That is what is holding us back”.
“But her [Nicola Sturgeon] own words are extremely nuanced, described the many different reasons why women do not have children, all of which, as she says, should be free of judgements and assumptions”.
She went on: “So if the First Minister wants to know the feelings of thousands of Scots across the country – I can give it to her right now”.
In Scotland’s independence referendum two years ago, 55 percent voted against and 45 percent in favour.
“The current Labour Party shows little sign of providing that voice so Liberal Democrats must speak up”.
“Instead of a proper Government using new and existing powers to drive the country forward, we instead have a nationalist administration dragging Scotland backwards – allowing the lead weight of separatism to threaten our ambitions and hopes”.
Before we start talking, we must listen. It indicated a majority of Scottish voters do not want a second referendum (54 per cent to 46 per cent).
The first minister hopes that the investment plans will bring Scotland sufficient economic impetus to fund an ambitious legislative agenda, which will include Bills to combat child poverty, ensure gender balance on public boards, expand social housing, create more apprenticeships, maintain current levels of college places, and cut childcare costs.
A referendum in 2014 narrowly produced a victory for the Better Together side, initially settling the debate around Scottish independence.
Prime Minister Theresa May scored a rating of +13, while Scotland First Minister Sturgeon landed a positive rating of +20 – just behind Scotland’s most highly-rated leader, the Scottish Conservatives’ Ruth Davidson, on +21.
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“So I think it would be immeasurably impoverishing for Scotland and the United Kingdom, impoverishing for all of us, if Scotland were to be independent, so I am totally opposed to Scotland being independent”.
