HUMZA Yousaf has said he will “consider” amendments to his independence strategy motion but vowed to push forward with the “most seats wins” plan at the next General Election.
We told how the SNP’s longest-serving MP Pete Wishart put forward an amendment to Yousaf and Westminster group leader Stephen Flynn’s key motion to change the proposition to trigger independence from the most seats to the most votes.
Wishart, who published his amendment while the First Minister was in New York, previously said it would not be “credible” or “realistic” for SNP to “try and assert some sort of move towards independence if you're not carrying the majority of people with you".
However, Yousaf has previously insisted that he is “confident” his motion will pass at the party’s October conference.
Speaking at a campaign event in Cambuslang, the First Minister said that the party wants to “not only” win the most seats, but also strive for a majority, ensuring the SNP are the “dominant party” following the next General Election.
Yousaf was joined by Flynn, who clarified confusion over whether it would be the “most seats” or a “majority” needed to trigger independence negotiations, as he had appeared to suggest the trigger would be a majority during an interview on Sky News.
The FM told journalists that the SNP would “like to win as many seats” as they possibly can, and will strive not to lose any during the UK-wide election.
Asked if members decided to push for the motion to be amended to need a “majority” of seats to be won at the next election and were successful, would he support that, Yousaf (above) said: “From my perspective, we will obviously consider amendments as they come up. I'd be quite keen if possible to look at the amendments, if there are amendments we can take, we'll look to consider that.
“I'm not going to say what amendment we will take, we’ll need to wait to see what is brought forward.
“But the entire point is that we're not scared of the debate. We're gonna have a really open debate.”
The FM added that he could have just decided on party policy but insisted party members would be “part of that discussion”, from the independence convention to the regional assemblies, and then a final vote at conference.
Asked for his views on Wishart’s amendment, Yousaf said that’s where the main “differences come in” regarding the best route forward for independence strategy.
“There's those that believe in effectively a defacto referendum positions, so getting 50% plus one, and then there's those like myself who are advocating for a different position,” he said.
“I respect Pete, I always have for a long time, but having attended many of our regional assemblies, being involved in discussions with members, I think we believe that if you're going to test a proposition for popular support, you do that in a referendum, that’s our preference, that’s Plan A.
“Of course, it's not us that is denying the Scottish people a referendum.
“If you don't have a referendum, the next opportunity to test that proposition is in the general election.
“People know the rules of a General Election, the party that wins the most seats wins.”
Flynn (above) told reporters that he has “very high expectations” for the party’s result at the next General Election.
“I don't want to just win the most seats on a majority of seats, I want to make sure that we have retained every single seat that we hold and I want us to go and win and win some other seats as well,” he said, pointing to Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross’s seat.
“So that's my starting point in all of this and the First Minister is spot on, it's it's important that the party comes together at conference that you have a robust debate, you disagree, but without being disagreeable,” he added.
“And we all come together on the back of that and push forward to the election and focus on the public's priorities, which is definitely the cost living crisis, energy bills, mortgage prices, food prices.
“The SNP has answers to all these questions, the SNP has solutions to put on the table. When the public hears that along with our key narrative that independence is going to be page one line one of our manifesto, then we have a very successful strategy ahead of us.”
It comes after another amendment to the motion was put forward, calling for a revival of the Yes brand with a new Scotland-wide campaign to be established by the end of this year.
