A former SNP MP has told a protest in Edinburgh his patience has run out with the party’s leaders as he criticised them for failing to campaign in the streets for Scottish independence.

George Kerevan was one of the speakers at a “static, distanced demo” organised by the All Under One Banner group outside the Scottish Parliament on Monday.

Dozens turned up with saltires, other flags and banners in the action taken during Scotland’s phased exit out of lockdown.

George Kerevan was one of the speakers at a “static, distanced demo" in Edinburgh

Mr Kerevan, who lost his seat as MP for East Lothian in the 2017 general election, also quoted John Lewis – the US civil rights campaigner who died recently – and called for Union Street in Aberdeen to be renamed “Independent Street”.

He said: “I’m the first to congratulate our Government on how it has handled the Covid crisis.

“But I’m also worried that for the last three years – essentially since the 2017 general election – the party leadership … has refused to campaign in the streets for independence.

“It’s left the campaigning to organisations like All Under One Banner.

“We cannot be patient any longer and the movement and the party cannot afford to be patient.”

Another speaker, Neil Mackay, praised the actions of First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and other key SNP figures but called on “the leadership to lead” on the issue of independence.

He told the crowd: “Yes, the leadership is performing very well on other matters but you know what, managing Covid should run parallel with fighting for independence.

“We should not be dropping the cause. And that is why we’re all here today.

“We need the parliamentary wing to synergise with the movement and work with us – we don’t need any more smoke signals, we don’t need any more whispers.”

Chris McCusker issued a plea for unity within the SNP and among independence campaigners.

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Former SNP MP criticises party leaders for lack of grassroots independence campaign