A SCOTTISH Labour Holyrood candidate is backing indyref2 – and says it could happen in the next parliamentary term.

Hollie Cameron, who is standing for Glasgow Kelvin, claimed her party “respects the right” to have a referendum, and the “only quibble” in the party appears to be the timing of it.

She said she would be honest about her stance on the vote if asked, but added: “It is not something I am going to be putting on my leaflets.”

Her comments are in stark contrast to new Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, who last week again stated his view that a referendum should not take place.

He said: “The idea that we come through this and go straight into a divisive referendum campaign, I just don’t think is the right thing to do.”

READ MORE: Scottish Labour candidate Hollie Cameron dropped after backing indyref2

However, Cameron, 29, told the Sunday National she is supportive of a second referendum.

“I do know the Scottish Labour Party has a policy that says the right to have a referendum is something the Scottish Labour Party respects,” she said.

“The only quibble appears to be the timing and there are different opinions in the Labour Party.

“There are some of us who think that timing should be when the public wants and when the electorate wants to have that referendum.

“And there are those who say we can’t possibly have a referendum while trying to rebuild our country after Covid.

“That to me is something that is not mutually exclusive – I think we can consider our constitution and rebuild after Covid if there is the political will to do that.”

She said she believed her party also supported the right for people in Scotland to decide their own future.

She added: “It is just a matter of whether you think we should have that in the next parliamentary term or not. I say why not?”

Cameron said she did not believe her stance on a referendum clashed with that of the party’s leader.

“I don’t think I am at odds with Anas Sarwar when it comes to the right of the Scottish people to determine their future,” she said.

“Where Anas and I differentiate I think is that the message he is driving is that we should focus on one thing, on recovery from coronavirus.

“I think if we have a willing and engaged public and capable parliamentarians, we could do it in the next few years definitely.”

Cameron said she voted Yes in the independence referendum of 2014 after being “inspired and convinced” – but said her view was now not so certain.

She said: “I am open to voting for a socialist independent Scotland, but what is being put forward by the Yes campaign currently is not something I am looking for.

“I think there are definitely quite a few people out there who, when it comes to a vote, will have a look at the context around them and decide when there is an actual vote. That is how I feel.”

The Glasgow Kelvin constituency is currently represented by SNP MSP Sandra White, who is standing down at this election.

Cameron, who said she would be campaigning on issues such as local government and NHS funding, housing and drug deaths, called for her party to engage with discussion on a second independence referendum.

“It has been consistent and undeniable in recent years that young people and people from working class backgrounds support at least a second vote, if not independence itself,” she said.

“I think Labour needs to engage in good faith with that discussion and reflect back to people their own political experiences.”

A Scottish Labour spokesperson said: “At a time of national crisis, the public want our politicians to focus on what unites our country – not more division.

“At this election Scottish Labour and our leader Anas Sarwar will set out a vision for Scotland that makes the case for a Covid Recovery Parliament.

“We will focus on the people’s priorities – strengthening our NHS, a catch-up plan for our children who have missed out on school, and real action on jobs to tackle the economic crisis.”