In an interview with the Financial Times, the pro-independence Scottish National Party leader said it would be “unthinkable” to keep delaying a decision on another vote.
In a bid to safeguard the UK’s 300 year old union, the Prime Minister ruled out a second referendum in February arguing “I do not see the virtue, value or utility of having a referendum at any time in the foreseeable future”.
But following Scottish Parliamentary elections in May, which confirmed Ms Sturgeon’s party as the biggest at Holyrood, the SNP leader has stepped up calls for another vote on the issue.
Last month she called for a referendum by the end of 2023, drawing the battle lines for a possible legal fight over whether the Scottish Government has the legal right to trigger a referendum without permission from Westminster.
In her interview with the FT, Ms Sturgeon said: “I can’t look ahead and tell you exactly how this constitutional impasse is going to resolve itself, but it will resolve itself — and it will resolve itself on the side of democracy, because actually, the alternative is pretty unthinkable.
“I’ve got democracy on my side . . . if they think it’s about playing a waiting game, I’ve probably got time on my side as well. You look at the demographics of the support for independence — well, I’m not sure that’s going to get you out of this conundrum.”
Earlier this week Mr Johnson’s Scotland Secretary Alister Jack said Westminster would only be likely to grant another referendum if 60 per cent of people wanted an independence vote. Latest polling suggests support for independence is falling.
Mr Jack told broadcaster STV: “The trigger in my mind, and I look to the situation in Northern Ireland for instance, if 60 per cent of people wanted a referendum and that position was sustained for over 12 months, then I can see there would be a desire for a referendum.
“But [referendums] can’t come every five or six or seven years. The SNP would only have to win once if we just keep asking the question.”
