She insisted the party would win a vote in the "once in a generation" poll, if it were put to the Scottish people today.

However, she said Nationalists would prefer to build a solid record in government before holding a vote.

Ms Sturgeon was part of a panel discussing independence in the first of a series of Scotsman Debates to held across the country in the coming weeks.

She was joined by Professor Tom Devine, the historian; Malcolm Chisholm, Labour's constitutional spokesman at Holyrood; Murdo Fraser, the Scottish Tories' deputy leader; Patrick Harvie, the Green MSP; Margo MacDonald, the independent MSP; and Nicol Stephen, the Scottish Liberal Democrats' leader.

The debate, held at Edinburgh University's George Square lecture theatre, was chaired by Michael Crow, STV's political correspondent and presenter of Politics Now.

During the discussion, panel members were asked by an audience member if they thought a referendum would be won if it were held now. "My simple question is why do we delay? Why do we wait two years to come to a decision?" he asked.

Asked by Mr Crow if she had "chickened out" of a quick referendum when Ms Alexander challenged the SNP to "bring it on," Ms Sturgeon retorted: "If we changed our position every time Wendy Alexander changed hers, we would all be in a mess." She insisted voters needed time to see how well the SNP operated in government before they decided on independence.

But she added: "We could win a referendum now."

Ms Sturgeon's views were dismissed by Mr Chisholm who insisted the issue of independence stood alone and "does not depend on the popularity of a particular party".

Later, Ms Sturgeon was asked to comment on the view expressed by Alex Salmond, the First Minister, that a referendum would be "a once in a generation" question.

Mr Crow asked if failure to win a referendum on independence would mean the SNP should drop it from their manifesto.

She replied: "I don't think we would lose the referendum. The First Minister was expressing a personal view. My personal view is a referendum is a once-in-a-generation event."

Mr Stephen reiterated his view that there should not be a referendum unless there was a majority in Holyrood for independence.

A full account of the debate will be published in tomorrow's Scotsman.

WHAT NEXT?

ON Monday, at Aberdeen's Town House, a panel including Martin Ford, who originally rejected the controversial Trump golf resort plan with a casting vote, will discuss: Does the Trump saga show Scotland has failed to balance its economic and environmental interests?

E-mail scotsmandebates@scotsman.com or write to David Lee, ScotsmanDebates, The Scotsman, 108 Holyrood Road, Edinburgh, EH8 8AS for tickets. Please state how many you want (maximum two per applicant) and for which debate(s).