JOURNALIST and Labour member Paul Mason called on his party to accept the “very exciting prospect” of an independent Scotland during the BBC’s Question Time programme.

The reporter, who previously worked for the BBC and Channel 4, said while he believes independence will be “difficult” the rest of the UK needs to accept it is coming.

Mason appeared on the programme alongside Tory Justice Secretary Robert Buckland, Scotland’s Finance Secretary Kate Forbes, Labour’s Lisa Nandy and GB News presenter Michelle Dewberry.

READ MORE: Question Time under fire for having GB News presenter Michelle Dewberry on panel

An audience member asked whether there is a mandate for another independence referendum following last week’s Scottish Parliament election, in which a majority of pro-independence MSPs were elected.

There were few voices in favour of independence from the virtual audience, with one member even suggesting that because the SNP won roughly 2% of votes if you look at the election from a UK-wide perspective, there shouldn’t be another referendum.

Mason was frustrated with the claims from the group. “There is a mandate for a referendum,” he told them.

“It would obviously be sensible not to be soon. But to the people who are intensely interested in whether the Scots can go independent or not – it’s not your business. Under international law nations have the right to self-determination.”

The journalist then questioned how currency would work in an independent Scotland – suggesting the only options available to the country would be a currency union with the UK or joining the euro. Other economics experts are in favour of Scotland moving to its own currency after independence, but Mason did not mention this.

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This is the SNP’s plan – Nicola Sturgeon has said Scotland would use the pound for “as long as necessary” before moving to a new currency when conditions allow. The Greens support setting up a new currency “immediately” after leaving the Union.

Mason went on to say that amid these kinds of debates, other important issues get “sidelined”. He argued the electorate is “rightly worried” about being trapped in “never-ending Tory elitist rule”.

READ MORE: WATCH: Lisa Nandy: Catalonia shows Scots how to beat 'divisive nationalism'

“I became convinced covering that referendum in 2014 that the rising generation of young Scots, allowed to vote at 16, when they’ve got 16-year-olds it’s game over,” he told the panel.

“I think we the English, the Welsh, probably have to accept that. I know Lisa [Nandy] wont agree with me but I wish my party, Labour, would begin to accept and prepare itself for the very exciting prospect of a socialist republic of Scotland.”

Meanwhile the Labour MP present on the panel argued that the 2014 was “once in a generation” – a line usually used by the Tories. During the episode Forbes argued Tories and Labour are "two sides of the same coin" in Scotland.

Last year Nandy argued Scotland could look to Catalonia to find answers on beating “divisive nationalism”.

Labour’s official line in recent months has been to rule out indyref2 for the next five years at least, arguing Scotland’s Covid-19 recovery must come first.