Angus Robertson has hit back at a Tory minister who said a second Scottish independence referendum should not be held until 2039 at the earliest.
House of Commons leader Mark Spencer said a gap of 25 years is required for any vote after the first was held back in 2014.
Scotland's Constitution Secretary blasted the Conservative MP saying he is in the "territory of democracy denial" if the UK Government doesn't allow a referendum to take place by the end of next year.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon revealed the first in a number of documents around independence as she kickstarted the debate about having another vote on Scotland's future.
Following a press conference in Bute House, with Green minister Patrick Harvie, the Prime Minister Boris Johnson said no agreement would be reached to allow another vote to take place.
It now puts the Scottish Government on a collision course with the UK Government which could end up in the courts.
Speaking in the Commons yesterday, Spencer said: "Once-in-a-generation I think is certainly not five years, I think that would be more nearer to 25 years before it should be considered again."
Reacting to Spencer's comments, Robertson told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland (GMS): "To actually reflect on what that means is somebody not elected in Scotland, representing a government that has not been returned in Scotland since 1955 telling the people of Scotland what they can and can't do.
"We're in the territory of democracy denial when I hear things like that."
Scottish Tory MSP Craig Hoy echoed the calls made by Spencer for a vote to be held further down the line rather than by the end of 2023.
He told GMS: "You could argue it's a generation of 18 years or 30 years. Those are moot points.
"I'm a Scottish Conservative and Unionist. I would not want to see another independence referendum, but actually here and now the clear thing is, the Scottish people do not want to see another independence referendum.
"If you look at the most recent opinion polls, fewer than one in three Scots want an independence referendum next year because they want the Scottish Government to be focused on the people's priorities.
"That is dealing with the effects of the covid pandemic, the cost of living crisis and all the other issues."
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