LONDON, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced Tuesday that the Scottish Nationalist Party was dropping an immediate demand for an independence referendum in Scotland.
Sturgeon said the Scottish government would reset its plans for Scottish independence, and instead focus on securing a Brexit deal for Scotland that keeps her region in the European single market.
The SNP's change of emphasis comes after the party lost a third of its seats in the recent snap general election for the Westminster government.
Sturgeon said the people of Scotland should have a choice about their own destiny after Brexit negotiations have been concluded.
In her statement, the SNP leader said the Scottish government remained strongly committed to giving Scotland a choice at the end of the Brexit process.
"I want to reassure people that our proposal is not for a referendum now or before there is sufficient clarity about the options, but rather to give them a choice at the end of the Brexit process when that clarity has emerged. I am therefore confirming today that, having listened and reflected, we will not seek to introduce the legislation for an independence referendum immediately."
She aims instead to build maximum support around the proposals to keep Scotland in the European single market and influence the Brexit talks in a way that protects Scotland's interests.
Opposition members at Holyrood in Edinburgh called instead for the idea of an independence referendum to be dropped altogether, with one member saying "the idea of independence is now dead."
Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson called on Sturgeon to take the so-called indyref2 off the table for the remainder of Scottish parliament.
"Why won't Sturgeon just take this off the table for the duration of this parliament," said Davidson.
Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale said in the debate that the so-called indyref2 was "dead". "The people of Scotland have decided that, but the first minister is just not listening and digging her heels in," said Dugdale.
However, Liz Cameron, CEO of Scottish Chambers of Commerce, welcomed Sturgeon's announcement.
She said: "The First Minister's new plan will enable an opportunity for Scotland's politicians of all parties to focus on two clear objectives, to ensure that Scotland and the UK get the best deal possible from Brexit, and for the Scottish Parliament to deliver the improvements to skills, taxation, infrastructure and connectivity that we need here in Scotland."
