MHAIRI Black has revealed she "hated" the SNP's White Paper on independence – and told people to ignore it.

She said the party had to offer something "totally different" if it is to win a second referendum in the coming months or years.

The Nationalist MP was speaking to the Scottish Secular Society, where she also said she considered becoming a nun as a youngster, before later turning to atheism.

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Asked about the timing of another independence referendum, she appeared to warn against a repeat of 2014's campaign.

She said: "It's worth remembering that although we managed to get to 45 per cent, we did not get there because of Alex Salmond.

"In fact, in many ways, during the actual Yes campaign it was in spite of Alex Salmond. Because it was just used as a weapon, constantly – 'independence is all about the SNP and Alex Salmond'.

"Anyone who was actually in the Yes campaign will know it had nothing to do with it."

She added: "I hated the White Paper. I remember going round and saying to folk, 'Ignore it.'

"The point is it can be totally different, and that's what we have to offer people.

"We have to be able to say to folk, 'Look, it's not going to be this union diet, like Diet Coke almost. It's going to be different.'

"This is the point of us having powers – that we're able to decide what direction we go in. And I think that that will be a very powerful argument, certainly in the coming months."

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Alex Salmond launched the White Paper, Scotland's Future, in November 2013, describing it as the "most comprehensive blueprint for an independent country ever published".

Ms Black, who snatched Paisley and Renfrewshire South from Labour heavyweight Douglas Alexander in 2015, said losing the independence vote had "felt like a death".

But she insisted mourning had quickly turned into a healthy anger.

She also told the audience at Glasgow's University of Strathclyde of her Catholic upbringing and her first experience of sexism.

Asked about the place of faith in society, she said she firmly believed there should be a "separation between state and religion".

She said: "I should say from the get go that I myself am a staunch atheist after a very long, interesting journey.

"I was raised in a really, really Catholic family. My granny has 13 weans. I went to Catholic school and everything – at one point I wanted to be a nun.

"In fact, the first time I can remember experiencing sexism was after the priest had been in, telling us all about basically what his job was.

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"At the end he was like, 'Who wants to be a priest?' I was like that, 'Yeah, I do.'

"He says, 'You can't be. You're a girl.' And I thought, wait a second, that's not right."

She added: "I firmly believe there should be a separation between state and religion. Religion, I think, is a personal choice – exist, do your thing, that's fine.

"But when it comes to laws, and when it comes to our institutions, we're people, and that's it. Everything else is secondary after that."