SCOTTISH Labour's outright opposition to a second independence referendum is "looking increasingly unsustainable", according to the party's former general secretary.

Brian Roy said the question is now how and when another vote should take place. 

He made the comments after a bombshell new poll found support for independence has risen to a record high of 58 per cent. 

The Ipsos MORI poll for STV News found just 42% of Scots now back staying in the UK, while 58% would vote to leave, once undecided voters are removed.

Meanwhile, less than half of Labour voters think Scottish party leader Richard Leonard is doing a good job. 

Mr Roy was general secretary of Scottish Labour from December 2014 until August last year.

He was understood to be a strong supporter of former UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. 

Responding to the latest poll, Mr Roy wrote on Twitter: "Scottish Labour's outright opposition to a second independence referendum is looking increasingly unsustainable. 

"You can oppose indy and indyref2 while still accepting its democratic legitimacy.

"The question now, for me, is how and when another vote should take place."

Labour has struggled to position itself within Scotland's constitutional politics. 

Last year, then shadow chancellor John McDonnell insisted a Labour government would not block a second independence referendum.

This flatly contradicted the party's position in Scotland.

Mr Leonard recently reiterated Scottish Labour's opposition to another referendum.