RISHI Sunak has criticised Nicola Sturgeon’s push for a second independence referendum, telling the First Minister to instead concentrate on tackling the cost of living crisis. 

The Chancellor was speaking to The Herald on Thursday after holding a number of meetings in Aberdeen. 

Asked about the Scottish Government’s intention to hold a vote on the constitution next October, Mr Sunak said: “I think that what people across the United Kingdom want their government to focus on, both the Scottish Government and the UK Government, is on the issues that are front of mind at the moment. 

“And that is helping them with the challenges they're facing with the cost of living. It's improving our energy security, and it's driving economic growth. 

“That's what I'm focused on doing, that's what I've actually been talking to people all day about in my town hall, that's what they wanted to talk to me about when they were asking me questions, and I think that should be the focus for us and everyone else.”

Asked if he accepted that the SNP had a mandate for a vote, the Chancellor said: “As I've said the priority for all governments now is to be focused on the priorities that matter to people. 

“That's tackling the cost of living challenges, improving energy security, driving economic growth. 

“I've just done a 40-minute townhall with 70 odd people. That's what they wanted to talk to me about.

"That's what I'm focused on delivering and I think that is the right thing for everyone in government, in Scotland and in the United Kingdom to be doing.”

Responding, the SNP's independence campaigning coordinator, Stewart Hosie said Mr Sunak had no right to block his party’s “cast-iron democratic mandate”.

He said: "A country's right to choose its future will not be determined by members of a party who haven't won an election in Scotland since 1955. 

"It should, and was, decided at the ballot box when Scotland returned a pro-independence majority last year.

"Both Labour and the Conservatives are petrified of engaging in debate because they can see how threadbare the case for continued Westminster rule over Scotland has become.

"The people of Scotland have secured a cast-iron democratic mandate to decide their future – and neither Rishi Sunak nor Boris Johnson has the right to block that mandate."