Lord McConnell, Scotland's First Minister between 2001 and 2007, has raised the prospect of a political truce to ensure that "for a two week period we can concentrate on Glasgow and Scotland and winning some gold medals for Scotland".

Speaking to BBC Scotland, he recommended "campaigning relentlessly between now and then and of course afterwards", but insisted it would "be wise, six months before the Games, for both sides to say that they will agree a truce for that two week period".

"I don't think it is a lot to ask both sides of politicians to lay off for that fortnight and to ensure that nobody involved in the Games be distracted or concerned by what they say and do and achieve might be either exploited or used by either side in the aftermath," he added.

Calls for a truce during Glasgow 2014 have been led by former First Minister Lord McConnell ©Getty Images

Although there has been support from various quarters to this idea it has also received considerable criticism.

Current First Minister and leader of the pro-independence Scottish National Party, Alex Salmond, described it as "nonsensical" while Commonwealth Games Minister Shona Robison described it as "non-realistic".

Robison said she did not share McConnell's concern that politicians would hijack the Games, when she insisted that "everyone wants it to be a success and that will be a sporting success".

"The backdrop to the Games is that it has been achieved on a cross party basis and that puts us in a very strong position to continue that cross party working right the way through the referendum," she added.

"We have worked through a general election, through a Scottish election, through a local election and despite rigorous debate through those elections we still manage to sustain cross party working around the Games."

Alex Salmond has joined Shona Robison in opposing the truce idea...after describing it as "nonsensical" ©Getty Images

There is a Scottish precedent of temporarily halting political campaigns - after the original campaign for Scottish devolution was temporarily halted in 1997 following the death of Princess Diana - while other sporting events are invariably subject to political agendas.

In a statement to insidethegames, Glasgow 2014 has insisted it is focused only on an "outstanding athlete centred, sport focused Games that is a celebrated throughout the Commonwealth and that delivers a lasting legacy for Glasgow and Scotland".

"The Commonwealth Games represent an opportunity to bring together all the nations and territories of the Commonwealth to celebrate our friendship and diversity through sport and culture, to showcase world class athletic performance, and - uniquely - for each of the home nations to compete in their own right in a multi-sport environment," the statement added. 

"This remains the case regardless of the constitutional context, which is a debate to be had - and a decision to be made - by the people of Scotland."

Similar sentiments have been offered by the CGF.

A spokesman told insidethegames the organisation "is confident that the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games will be a spectacular success for the people of Glasgow, Scotland and the wider Commonwealth."

"It will be the biggest sporting and cultural event that Scotland has ever hosted, and we're sure that this summer, everyone's focus will be on the athletes, the spectacle, the volunteers, the fun, drama and the excitement of the Games."

This view was also shared by one of Scotland's most famous Olympians, Allan Wells, the Moscow 1980 100 metres champion. 

Despite politics intervening, in the form of a boycott, when he won his, Wells insisted "the way things are going with the preparations, the Games will be so gripping that Scots will be too absorbed to be bothered about referendum talk".

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