THE First Minister's announcement that an Independence Referendum Bill will be published this week has, unsurprisingly, sharply divided local political opinion.

Opening the SNP's annual conference in Glasgow, Nicola Sturgeon said a consultation would be held on plans to pave the way for a second vote on the country's separation from the rest of the UK.

Ms Sturgeon said the country should have the chance to look again at the question of independence before the UK leaves the European Union - “if that is necessary to protect our country's interests”.

Her conference announcement comes after she said a second referendum was “highly likely” before 2020, following the decision of the UK as a whole – though not Scotland – to back leaving the EU in June's vote.

But local Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat politicians have united in calling for Ms Sturgeon and her SNP colleagues to focus on the day-to-day job of governing the country.

Labour MSP Jackie Baillie, whose constituency includes the Helensburgh and Lomond area, said: “Nicola Sturgeon could have used her opening speech to talk about improving our schools, fixing the problems in our health service or tackling poverty.

“The SNP should focus on the day job of governing Scotland but instead they want to reopen old wounds by holding a second divisive referendum. The Tories’ Brexit gamble is already putting jobs at risk and the last thing we need now is the uncertainty of another independence referendum.

“Two million Scots voted to reject independence only two years ago. We voted to stay in the UK. It is undemocratic for Nicola Sturgeon to suggest that she can keep on asking the same question over and over again until she gets the answer she wants.

"The SNP told us that the referendum would settle the issue for a ‘generation’ and they should keep their word.

“I made a clear promise to voters before the election that I would focus on jobs and improving our schools and hospitals, not a second referendum. That’s why I will oppose any referendum bill that the SNP brings before parliament.”

Local Conservative councillor Gary Mulvaney, who chairs Argyll and Bute Council's Helensburgh and Lomond area committee, added: "The First Minister doesn't seem to understand that 'no' means 'no'. 

“People said 'no' in 2014 and the majority of Scots today do not want 'indyref2' and all the uncertainty that will create. 

“Look at the facts, Scotland has a £15billion deficit in its finances, and its economy is growing at half the rate of the UK.

“So why can't Nicola Sturgeon do something useful by looking beyond her politics of divorce and grievance and get on with the day job for once?"

And Liberal Democrat councillor Ellen Morton said Ms Sturgeon's announcement heaped uncertainty on the country's already uncertain political future.

“Nicola Sturgeon repeatedly asks that Theresa May recognises the will of the Scottish people in the European referendum," Cllr Morton said, "while she herself ignores the will of the Scottish people as expressed in the 2014 referendum.

“She puts Scotland’s prosperity at risk by creating uncertainty in an already uncertain situation. She ignores the real issues – a shortage of nurses, of teachers, of GPs; the breakdown of trust between the police and the communities they serve due to the centralisation of the police; the effect of the falling price of oil on Scotland’s economy.    

“We were promised that the 2014 referendum was a one off event – but it is always on the table and every other important issue is ignored.

“The 2014 referendum divided people and we should move on from there and tackle the issues that affect our daily lives.“

But Helensburgh's MP, Brendan O'Hara, said the UK government's lurch to the right following the EU vote meant it was vital for Scotland's voice to be heard.

“The First Minister has been absolutely clear from the start,” Mr O'Hara said.

“As Scotland voted decisively to remain in the European Union, so Scotland’s position, particularly in relation to the Single Market, must be protected.

“It is becoming more and more likely however that Theresa May’s right-wing  pro-Brexit Government,  taking little or no cognisance of Scotland’s position, will pursue a potentially disastrous  hard-Brexit.

“In  raising the issue of a second referendum, Nicola Sturgeon is sending a warning  to Theresa May that Scotland’s voice will be heard and Scotland’s interests will be protected.

“If  not, then she will invoke the 2016 SNP manifesto, which said that any “material change” could trigger another vote on independence.

“And I can't conceive of a bigger material change than Scotland being dragged out of the European Union and us being stripped of our European citizenship against our will.”

Argyll and Bute backed a 'No' vote in the 2014 independence referendum, with 58.5 per cent of those who voted saying they wanted to remain in the UK.

The area also backed staying in the EU in June's referendum, by a margin of 61 per cent to 39 per cent.