ONE of Ruth Davidson's former spin doctors has said it will be "extremely difficult" for the UK Government to oppose indyref2 if the SNP win the next election.
Adam Morris said Boris Johnson's administration would "at some point" have to "listen".
The Scottish Tories increased their vote share after the referendum on the basis of mounting a vigorous defence of the Union.
When Davidson was leader, the Conservatives replaced Labour as Holyrood’s largest opposition party and they picked up seats at the 2017 general election.
However, they fell back again at December's general election and they are on their third leader in a year.
Both the Scottish party and the Tory Government are unequivocally opposed to a second independence referendum and some party figures believe they should never agree to indyref2.
However Morris, who was director of communications and a key backroom figure in the Davidson team, told the BBC: "If the SNP go into 2021, in their manifesto, stating categorically that a vote for them is a vote for another referendum, and then they return a majority of MSPs, it will be extremely difficult for the UK Government to continue to just say no all the time."
He added: "At some point the UK Government will have to listen, if election after election after election the SNP keep winning and winning handsomely."
Nicola Sturgeon yesterday announced her government will publish a draft bill on the timing of indyref2 before the end of the parliamentary session.
Opinion polls show her party is on course for an overall majority at the Holyrood election.
