THE debate about the process of securing independence ends after the SNP conference, the First Minister has said.
Speaking ahead of party delegates meeting in Aberdeen from Sunday, Humza Yousaf urged members to stop focusing on how to secure Scottish independence after the vote is held on his motion finalising the party’s General Elections strategy.
The FM insisted that members will decide the way forward at the three-day event, with delegates voting on the leadership’s preferred strategy.
A motion tabled by Yousaf and SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn sets a target of the SNP winning the “most” seats at the next UK-wide election being enough to trigger independence negotiations with a Westminster government.
Two amendments, one from MP Joanna Cherry and another from MP Pete Wishart, sought to change this motion from seats to votes, while another amendment aims to change the wording from “most” to “majority” of seats.
We told how the FM has backed an amendment calling for a Yes campaign revival by the end of the year, as well as calls for a constitutional convention.
But, ahead of the party’s conference, the FM insisted that whatever the outcome on the vote on independence strategy, the SNP has to move on from debating process.
“Let me be very frank about this, at conference once we’ve had that debate – and I’m sure in the best traditions of the SNP, it’ll be frank, it’ll be robust – that’s it,” he said.
“We’re done.
“You draw a line under that, I will fully accept whatever conference decides, even if it’s not my motion – I’m confident they will – but I will accept whatever conference decides.
“Everybody else must accept what conference decides.
“Once that is done, the talk about process is done.”
Despite support for independence hovering around 50% in the past few months, backing for the SNP has dropped in the polls.
The FM said he believed this was due in part to the party’s long-term discussions about how to achieve independence as opposed to the reasons for it.
“One of the things that is very clear to me why that link between independence supporters and the SNP is weakened, is because we are talking too much about process,” he said.
“People don’t understand why independence is relevant to their everyday lives; the cost-of-living crisis, the NHS and public services and the economy.
“We have to draw a line under it on Sunday, the party’s had the debate, it’s had its regional assemblies, it’s made a decision – let’s all get united behind it and let’s get on with talking about the policy, not the process.”
Yousaf’s calls are aimed at a party struggling with internal divisions. He previously urged members to unite ahead of the conference, adding that divided party’s “don’t win elections”.
There have been a number of public divisions over a variety of issues between different factions of the SNP, on issues ranging from the Bute House Agreement with the Scottish Greens, gender reforms and the deposit return scheme, as well as highly protected marine areas (HPMAs), a policy that was ultimately scrapped by the Scottish Government.
Asked if he is setting himself up for more divisions after the debate on Sunday, the First Minister said: “I genuinely hope not.
“People can accuse me of a lot of things, but I can’t be accused of not letting the party have its say on the strategy.”
Yousaf pointed to the independence convention in Dundee during the summer as an example of allowing members to shape policy.
Ahead of his first conference since taking over the job from Nicola Sturgeon, the FM said he is both “excited” and “nervous”.
He added that conference is like a “very big family gathering”, although put to him that it could be considered a dysfunctional one given the ructions within the party, he said: “Every family has its awkward members.”
Yousaf also hinted that there would be a number of “solid” policy announcements in his keynote address to members on Tuesday.
