FORMER Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said the country needs "time to heal" rather than rushing in to another "divisive" referendum.

Speaking on the Andrew Marr show this morning, Mr Brown added that the SNP must "come clean" about what the impact of the economic crisis from the pandemic would mean if Scotland was independent, and said that the debate over the constitution is now not just a "Scottish problem" but is spreading across the UK.

He explained: "It’s not just a Scottish problem now and it’s not even just a Welsh problem and a Scottish problem. You see the revolt of the regions around the United Kingdom.

"They feel they’re not listened to, the government doesn’t consult, they’ve got the local knowledge but they don’t have the resources, the government’s got the resources but not the local knowledge. This is now a UK problem.

"I think before we look at what’s going to happen to Scotland in the future we’ve got to consider whether the virus and the economic damage has really forced onto the agenda right up to the surface what kind of United Kingdom we’re actually wanting."

Mr Brown said that Westminster Government cannot "strait-jacket" the whole country "into a centralised unitary state as they’ve been trying to do."

The former PM said if the SNP won a majority at the Holyrood elections, it was not a case of "could" there be another referendum, but "should" there be one.

He said explained: "We’re in the middle of a virus, we’re in the middle of a recession.

"There’s got to be a time to heal before you go into any divisive conflicting referendum that really will cause consternation in Scotland for months and months to come.

"Now I think most Scottish people will make up their mind that in the middle of a virus when you’ve got to heal the virus, you’ve got to heal the recession and you’ve got to look at the whole future of Britain.

"And the SNP of course have got to come clean about what it now means for independence now that you’ve got economic changes taking place. I don’t think this is the right time at all."

It comes after SNP MP and the party's Westminster Leader Ian Blackford said his party had to get ready for a referendum in 2021.

He said that the virus had delayed plans, but the "denial of democracy" taking place from Westminster was motivation to convince people to join the pro-independence side.

He explained: “We need to demonstrably show that the people of Scotland are determined that they will have their say and in the first case, we have to win this election for the people of Scotland.

“To be able to be respectful to those who are not currently with us that we’re appealing to join us; about that denial of democracy that is currently taking place and to affirm that it is the sovereign right of the people of Scotland to determine their own future; and come what may, we will prevail.

“That referendum will take place and we need to plan that that referendum must take place in 2021.”

He said the coronavirus crisis had led to plans for another referendum being delayed, saying: “Covid has come along and the Scottish Government in particular, has had to take its responsibilities of stewarding the country through this crisis.

“So we’ve had to, from a tactical point of view, put off holding a referendum in 2020 and I apologise that that was the case.”

Scotland in Union chief Pamela Nash has described Mr Blackford's remarks as "irresponsible" and "insulting".

She said: "We are struggling with a devastating pandemic that is costing lives and it will take years for our NHS and economy to recover.

“To divide Scotland with another referendum at this time is the very last thing we need.

“Politicians should not be trying to tear us apart, they should be working to unite us together."