Nicola Sturgeon says she could put aside indyref2 for a soft Brexit

Nicola Sturgeon has suggested a second independence referendum could be set aside if it helped create a soft Brexit.

The leader of the SNP told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme she was willing to put her own preferred option aside: "I've, in a sense, been willing and am willing to put aside my preferred option of independence in the EU to see if we can explore a consensus and compromise option".

The first minister said that "in a timescale of Brexit" she would prefer to avoid a hard Brexit which would damage the economy.

She also said education was her priority for 2017 and wanted to eliminate the attainment gap within the next 10 years.