NICOLA Sturgeon has pledged to make ending lockdown her top priority if re-elected as First Minister.

Sturgeon insisted that she won’t campaign for independence while Scots are living under coronavirus restrictions, in an exclusive interview with the Sunday Mail.

The SNP are expected to win a majority in Thursday’s Holyrood election, which would arguably create a mandate for a second independence referendum.   

However, Sturgeon said: “The first thing I will do is get back to working on the next stages of getting us out of lockdown.

“We have another milestone coming on May 17, and for whoever is First Minister that will be the first decision – are we on track to meet that and do the next round of easing?”

When asked if she would renew demands for a Section 30 order from Westminster – giving the Scottish Parliament the right to hold a referendum – she said the demand is there and is “always going to be there”.

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“But if you are asking me, is my first act on the day after the election going to be that, as opposed to doing what we need to do on Covid, the answer is no.

“I have believed in independence all of my adult life but the most important responsibility for a First Minister amidst a global crisis is to lead the country through it,” Sturgeon continued.

She added: “We only get independence when a majority of people want it. You win a majority by persuading people not by bulldozing your way towards it.”

Sturgeon spoke of concentrating on getting through the pandemic and then “the choice to hold a referendum should be for Scotland when we come out of this”.

However, pressure for a more aggressive approach to independence has come from within her party, from the wider independence movement, and from her former mentor Alex Salmond.

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Salmond is also running for election as leader of the Alba Party.

The National: Alex Salmond leading Alba Party in Holyrood electionAlex Salmond leading Alba Party in Holyrood election

In March 2020 the former First Minister was cleared of a number of sexual assault claims.

When asked whether women in the parliament would have to be careful should Salmond be elected, Sturgeon said: “I believe based on what I have heard and what Alex Salmond has told me that his behaviour towards women on occasion has been deeply inappropriate.

“He doesn’t seem to be able to recognise that openly and apologise and demonstrate that he has learned the lessons from that.

“I would like to hear him acknowledge it, and if he did that he may give some confidence that he wouldn’t act that way in the future.”

When it was suggested that she would be intimidated by her former boss’ return to Holyrood, Sturgeon responded: “I am not intimidated by Alex Salmond.

“I have never been intimidated by Alex Salmond, as he well knows.”

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Writing for The National, Sturgeon spoke of the need for “courage, optimism and vision” in times of unprecedented challenge.

She described the resurrection of “Project Fear” as a source of comfort for proponents of Scottish independence.

Sturgeon explained: “It shows us that the arguments against Scottish self-government have barely moved on in the last seven years, while those in favour get stronger all the time.”

However, she insisted that although the case for independence is as “compelling and relevant as it has ever been”, it must be made “passionately, respectfully and persuasively”.