ONE of Scotland’s richest men has said a second independence referendum is "inevitable and right".

Sir Tom Hunter, the entrepreneur and philanthropist, believes a new vote on Scotland’s future will come.

However, the businessman said the focus for political leaders should be on tackling the coronavirus pandemic.

“Another referendum on Scottish independence is inevitable and it is right but I do not think it is right now," he said.

"This is about priorities. This is a huge challenge we are all facing. When I want to get something done we get down, focus on it and don’t focus on anything else."

He added: “Do I trust our politicians to be multi-tasking on this? No. I want our politicians to be focused on getting us through safely this Covid crisis. Then once we are through it we can have a breath and then think about our constitution. Doing them side by side, absolutely 100% not.”

Sir Tom was speaking yesterday as the Scottish Edge programme, which provides funding and support to start-up businesses, began its annual judging programme.

He has been critical of Holyrood for not listening to the voice of business during the Covid-19 pandemic. He said that this had “got a bit better but there is still a bit to go” as he urged businesses and governments to collaborate to help to re-train workers who may be left without jobs over the coming weeks.

He said: “At a time when governments can borrow at historic low levels they need to be borrowing for 50, 60, 70 years. If they take the view we can’t support this or that then all sorts of industries will be lost forever and that would be a big mistake in my view. Re-training is something that is not really being talked about enough as the world of work is changing really quickly.

“I think re-training and re-purposing our workforce for what is ahead is something that has been missed.”

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has called for the UK Government to give more borrowing powers to the Scottish Government amid concerns her administration's response in terms of addressing the public health crisis is "hamstrung" by its limited financial leverage, for instance it cannot borrow money to extend the current furlough scheme which finishes at the end of October.

Sir Tom sold his Sports Division retail chain for £290 million in 1998 and went on to become Scotland’s first homegrown billionaire by making other investments to increase his fortune. The 2008 financial crisis caused damage to his property and retail interests, knocking hundreds of millions of pounds from his personal wealth.

Earlier this year the Scottish Government announced it was pausing plans to hold a referendum amid the pandemic.

But in her programmme for government the First Minister said she would bring forward a draft bill within the current parliamentary term, which ends next March, setting out the terms, timetable and question to be posed in a second independence referendum.