Ash Regan has warned against Humza Yousaf’s ‘most seats’ strategy to win an independence mandate.
The SNP MSP said it was “risky” and that the UK Government won’t take it seriously.
A motion from SNP leader and Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf and Westminster leader Stephen Flynn released on Thursday – that is set to be debated at the SNP conference in Aberdeen in October – says that talks on leaving the UK start if the party wins a majority of Scottish seats at the next General Election.
Regan, who ran against Yousaf and Kate Forbes in the SNP leadership election in March (below), told The Daily Record that if Westminster were to be brought to the negotiating table, a “high bar” would have to be cleared – suggesting that if an alliance of pro-independence parties achieved more than 50 per cent of the total votes cast in Scotland, a mandate would be secured.
"In my mind it needs to be that high bar, it needs to be clear what people are voting for," Regan said.
"If we did get over 50 per cent - and remember I am including more parties than just the SNP - I think, at that point, the UK Government would have to take that seriously as it would be a majority vote.
"Any party that is pro-indy and wants to join in could."
She added: "At general elections, people often have other things on their minds, particularly when Scotland is suffering with the economy and the cost of living crisis."
On the motion backed by Yousaf, she said: "I personally don't feel it would be enough of a mandate. I don't think the UK Government will take that seriously."
She concluded: "Independence is not about one person, it's not about one political party. Independence is a movement of the people of Scotland.
"I think it needs to be a broad church, and we have to be careful we are not excluding people.
"Independence is just the start, so we need to take everybody with us."
