Reuters reports that British finance minister Rishi Sunak said that a referendum on Scottish independence would put Britain's economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic at risk.

Scotland will vote on Thursday for its devolved parliament, in which a victory for the Scottish National Party (SNP) is expected to create more pressure for an independence vote that has so far been rejected by the British government.

Sunak stressed the need to finish dealing with COVID-19 and start rebuilding the economy.

"There is one clear risk to this shared goal, and that is the uncertainty of a second independence referendum," he said.

"It would needlessly divide our country and at the worst possible time."

The SNP is expected to win the elections and, if it achieves an outright majority, will step up efforts to hold another independence referendum. In 2014 Scotland voted to remain part of the United Kingdom.