THE Scottish Government’s constitution secretary Michael Russell has revealed that the draft bill paving the way for indyref 2 will be published within the next six weeks.

Mr Russell, the new president of the SNP, told a meeting of Ayr constituency branches last week that the draft bill was close to publication.

The bill was announced by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon in the programme for government last September. It would, she said, set out the proposed terms and timing of the poll and establish the question to be asked.

Mr Russell last month announced the SNP’s route map to the second independence referendum. It would involve holding a ‘‘legal’’ referendum after the pandemic is over and after the Scottish elections in May, when the SNP is expected to be returned to power with an overwhelming majority.

Westminster has so far stood against a second referendum. Mr Russell said if Prime Minister Boris Johnson wants to block the poll he will have to go to court to do so. Standing against the democratically expressed view of the Scottish people would not be a good look, he said.

Twenty-one opinion polls in a row have now shown a majority of Scots support independence and have predicted significant gains for the SNP in the May elections. The party is now expected to win more than 70 of the 129 seats at the Scottish parliament.

If it wins a majority in May it will seek a section 30 agreement from Westminster, which would replicate arrangements for the first independence referendum in 2014. If Westminster refuses it will go ahead anyway with a ‘‘legal’’ indyref2. If the Conservative UK government wanted to stop the vote it would have to mount a legal challenge.

Mr Russell told the Ayr SNP branches last week that he expected the party to include a specific commitment to holding indyref 2 in its manifesto for the May elections. He also appealed for an end to the party infighting which has caused problems in recent weeks.

The SNP candidate in the Ayr constituency is Siobhian Brown.