Controversial ex-MP and pro-union campaigner George Galloway has predicted Scotland will back independence within five years.
Despite preaching Unionism to thousands round the country last summer, Mr Galloway believes the tide has turned “irrevocably” from Labour toward the SNP.
The former Glasgow Labour MP, who now leads the Respect party, made the comments on the eve of the official launch of his bid to become Mayor of London in 2016.
One of the issues he is focusing on is greater devolution for the capital.
He said: “I think independence is probably nigh.
“The only way it could have been stopped is if we had got a Labour government last month and if that Labour government had begun to make a difference.
“But these next five Tory years are going to be very cold and the SNP leadership seems to have the ball at their feet and know what to do with it.
“So I’d be very surprised if there wasn’t another referendum in the course of this next five years, and I’d be very surprised if we managed to repeat the result we got last year.
“I’d take the same stand that I did last year.
“But I wouldn’t be expecting to win.”
Mr Galloway also said Scottish leadership front-runner Kezia Dugdale would not be “at the races” if his old party had any big political figures left.
He said “I’m sure she’s a fine person. I’ve never met her.
“But she’s not any kind of big political beast, not by comparison with what Labour used to have.”
Potential rivals in his bid for Mayor of London are MPs Tessa Jowell or David Lammy for Labour, MP Zac Goldsmith, or ex-footballer Sol Campbell for the Tories.