ONE of Nicola Sturgeon’s former MPs has insisted that there is “wafer thin” support for Scottish independence in the middle class and the SNP has wasted its energy appealing to “narrow interests”.

George Kerevan, who was the SNP MP for East Lothian between 2015 and 2017 has warned activists that the First Minister’s “political charisma” has drummed up record levels of support for independence and that any shift from the party to the right is snuffed out.

Wiring for the left wing Conter website, Mr Kerevan suggested that “the foundations of middle-class support for independence are wafer thin”.

He added: "It is based solely on the political charisma of 'president' Sturgeon and the SNP leadership’s slavish support for the institutions of the EU.

"This provides the professional, pro-EU Scottish middle class with the necessary assurance that the First Minister will personally protect their narrow interests both from incompetent, Little Englander Boris but also from the anti-austerity, democratic passions of the pro-indy underclass in the housing schemes."

Last month, outspoken SNP MP Kenny Macaskill criticised his party’s leadership for indulging in “political chicanery” instead of preparing for a second indpendence referendum.

READ MORE: SNP MP warns of 'growing despair' in party over lack of planning for Indyref2

He said: “He said: “Underpinning all the discontent has been a growing despair at the failure of SNP HQ to prepare for Indyref2.”

Mr Kerevan warned that even when party veterans “accept the SNP leadership is drifting rightwards, many argue that “now is not the time to ‘rock the boat’ - especially as popular support for independence is running at record levels”.

He added: "But Sturgeon’s softly-softly tactics leave the movement impotent if the British state turns nasty – which it will.

"Worse, the sort of independent Scotland the present SNP leadership is leading us toward will only enshrine the rule of the complacent Scottish middle class and rapacious foreign multinationals, to the detriment of the working people.

"We face a choice between defeat or a new form of servitude."