SNP politicians are job hunting as party prepares for defeat without even putting up a fight – Kenny MacAskill

Despite Humza Yousaf’s personal qualities, he can only play the hand he’s been dealt – and it’s a bad one

Humza Yousaf has earned respect for his sincere and principled position on Gaza. There’s nothing like the personal to energise the political but he’s been passionate and shown a human side, endearing him to many who did not know him or had never seen that aspect.

But on the domestic agenda, he’s floundering. Despite circling the wagons to defend against repeated failings and having the best spin doctor in Scottish politics, you can only play the hand you’re dealt.

The intention to give a “robust” defence to Alex Salmond’s legal action simply confirms that it’s “continuity SNP” taking ownership of his predecessor’s actions. Wiser counsel would have advised no comment or simply a reference to responsibility as the current serving First Minister without accepting any culpability for actions taken before his tenure. This barb smacks of a defence of “Sturgeonism” which is increasingly a curse upon the new regime.

Humza Yousaf appears to be floundering as he tries to deal with the SNP's domestic woes (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Ian Blackford’s anti-Brexit bluster

An SNP activist I was speaking to recently suggested that Yousaf hadn’t really put a foot wrong since his arrival. Really? Two MPs and two MSPs are gone, WhatsApp messages are perhaps in the ether, and it's now just a matter of when, not if, a senior minister, Michael Matheson, goes. This isn’t sure-footed but cack-handed. To be fair, much has been inherited but that’s what he sought and that’s what he’s now defending. And it’s only going to get worse.

When Brexit happened, there was at least bluster – the gentleman crofter bellowing in Westminster that “Scotland wouldn’t be dragged out of the EU against its will”. But it was and without even a by-your-leave or even a scintilla of effort by the SNP to negotiate terms that were apparently on offer and would have mitigated harm.

Now we face the absurdity of a petroleum-producing nation lacking a refinery. It’s “banana republic” stuff. Taking your raw commodity at a discount and selling you back a refined product at a premium. But what’s been the reaction this time of the SNP/Green administration? Muted and not even Ian Blackford’s faux outrage.

Rank-and-file anger at SNP

They’re going out with a whimper, not a bang, proving yet again that the tawdry Bute House deal with the Greens was nothing to do with independence and everything to do with self-interest, whether Nicola Sturgeon’s “identity politics” or Patrick Harvie’s desire for ministerial office.

The SNP’s now preparing for defeat. Already openly accepting that they’re going backwards and yet somehow trying to argue they’ll use that as the base to go forward. A recent social media post by a candidate for a currently SNP-held seat parroted the drive for independence in his call to arms for activists. Yet he never explained what the sitting MP had been doing in Westminster all these years or how he could do any different with the same lamentable strategy.

I also recently heard of an SNP MP acknowledging likely defeat but stating that given their age it was seemingly acceptable, others are job-hunting. But acceptable to whom? I know the places they represent, and the blood, sweat and tears shed by so many to win them. Contempt’s turning to rage. The independence movement hasn’t gone away but the SNP needs fundamental reform or replaced. As of now, it’s going down without even a fight.

Kenny MacAskill is Alba party MP for East Lothian