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Anneliese Dodds said it was up to Scottish Labour to decide whether it backed Holyrood’s right to support a second independence referendum.

Before the last general election, the party’s Westminster leadership delivered mixed messages on the issue.

But the new Shadow Chancellor said: “I always make sure that I talk very much with Scottish Labour.

"They are the lifeblood of our party in Scotland and I know they’re having some of these discussions about exactly what our position will be and it’s critical that we listen to them.

"But we have got to deal with people’s material circumstances particularly at a time like this. Constitutional issues are not what people are focused on.

“I think they wouldn’t be that happy if they felt politicians were jumping down rabbit holes about constitutional things right now.”

Scottish leader Richard Leonard has faced internal party battles and has seen Jackie Baillie, whom he previously sacked from his front bench, elected as his deputy.

But Dodds gave Leonard her full support, adding: “I don’t want there to be a change from the current leadership.”