Veteran SNP MSP Alex Neil says his party should hold a fresh vote on independence only after the final Brexit settlement has been reached.

The Airdrie and Shotts MSP is so far the sole SNP parliamentarian to admit voting leave in June's referendum.

The former health secretary has urged his party not to call a "premature" independence referendum.

He told the Times: "You cannot realistically maximise your chances of winning a referendum for independence unless and until you know what the final Brexit deal is.

"The reality is that after the statement by Michel Barnier that the deal has got to be done in the next 18 months, physically it would be very difficult to get an independence referendum in that time.

"So realpolitik is kicking in anyway in terms of the timing, and realistically any referendum on independence is going to come after the deal is done."

His comments come just weeks before the First Minister is due to publish her proposals on Brexit that she hopes Downing Street will adopt.

The plans will aim to keep the whole of the UK in the European single market or if the Downing Street does not want that then allow Scotland to remain inside the trading bloc.

If Scotland's single market status cannot be secured the First Minister has signalled she will launch plans for a fresh independence referendum. Her government has already drafted legislation to hold such a poll.

Neil believes the party would be more successful in its pursuit of independence if it held a second poll after the 2020 general election.

The MSP said: "There's an argument that, with the likely result of an election in 2020, with a Tory government with an increased majority, that would be the best time to have a referendum.

"Let's not have a premature referendum which we might not win because we don't have all the answers."

The former minister also wants a fresh independence vote to include a second option on the ballot to decide if Scotland should apply to rejoin the EU.

"The first question is: 'Do you want Scotland to be an independent country? Yes or No'," states Neil.

"The second question is: 'If a majority answer 'yes' to the first question, do you want an independent Scotland to reapply to join the EU?'

"I think you would get a very different answer."

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: "Brexit is the biggest threat to Scotland's economy, jobs and investment so it is vital we maintain our place in the single market, which is around eight times bigger than the UK's alone, and we will shortly publish proposals to achieve that.

"But as we have also made very clear, we are determined that people across Scotland should have the ability to consider the question of independence - and to do so before the UK leaves the EU - if it becomes clear it is the best or only way to protect our country's interests."