Humza Yousaf sees off independence strategy rebellion as he urges party to unite

The First Minister called for party unity and for activists to stop talking about process on the opening day of SNP conference.

First Minister and SNP leader Humza Yousaf discusses the Independence Strategy Resolution during the second session at the SNP annual conference at The Event Complex Aberdeen (TECA) in Aberdeen.

Humza Yousaf saw off an internal SNP rebellion by shifting his position on its independence strategy again as part of a desperate plea for party unity.

The SNP leader ruled out fighting the next general election as a “de facto” referendum which had been favoured by his predecessor Nicola Sturgeon.

He said this would see the party “setting ourselves a bar no other party sets itself” and there was “no shortcut” to independence beyond a referendum.

Instead the First Minister accepted a change to his strategy, accepting that a “majority” of seats would be needed for the SNP to kick off talks with the UK Government on independence.

Party insiders accept this could result in anything from a straight ‘no’ to Number 10 opening negotiations for separation, but are intent to use the strategy as a way to grow independence support to a point where the political pressure for a referendum is too great for Westminster to deny.

They want to push the question of what SNP electoral success means in terms of independence to Number 10, rather than become bogged down in process, allowing the party to unite and work towards independence.

It is a desperate bid to restore party unity and, as part of a bid to see off a potential internal rebellion, Mr Yousaf also accepted a raft of other amendments to his leadership’s strategy.

They included:

• Demanding the powers to hold a referendum be transferred to Holyrood
• Call for the devolution of cost-of-living and climate powers
• Launching a new campaign for independence
• Having ‘Independence for Scotland’ to be the SNP’s description on the ballot
• Holding a constitutional convention

The finalised motion will see the SNP aim for the majority of Scottish seats at the next general election.

This would then see the Scottish Government “empowered to begin immediate negotiations with the UK Government to give democratic effect to Scotland becoming an independent country”.

Mr Yousaf is attempting to move on from discussing the process of achieving independence and aims to move decisively away from this debate ahead of the general election.

However, polling suggests the public no longer views independence as a priority, with internal divisions and extended debate on strategy unlikely to help the perception the party is not as focused on what matters to voters as it could be.

The party is also split on whether there should be a closer focus on the cost-of-living crisis at the next election as it battles to turn around its slumping poll figures.

The First Minister said the current “Westminster roadblock” to holding a second referendum required the SNP to “use the next general election to put independence front and centre”.

Mr Yousaf leader urged his party: “Let’s not fall into the trap of setting ourselves a bar no other party sets itself to win.

“If the Westminster parties want a test for popular support (for) the proposition of independence, let’s do it via a referendum. If they give us the powers I will hold the referendum tomorrow.

“But in an election a majority of seats is a victory, plain and simple.”

Mr Yousaf said he wanted “page one line one” of the SNP manifesto for the general election to urge people to “vote SNP for Scotland to become an independent country”.

He added: “Let’s get behind the cause. Because we know at least 50 per cent of people support independence.

"We need to drive that up because whatever process we decide we will only become independent if we get more people to support the cause.”

However, the compromise has resulted in the party ditching several parts of their plans to pile the pressure on the UK Government following a potential victory.

Plans to publish a withdrawal agreement document, conduct a nationwide consultation on a draft constitution, and preparing to rejoin the EU have been formally ditch, but remain part of the government’s plans should they win a majority of seats.

Angus Robertson, the constitution secretary, added: “Surely winning an election, just like for all other parties, is a mandate for our manifesto.

"There are no alternatives to the ballot box, no short cuts to independence, and no shorts and it is crucial to international recognition.”

Tommy Sheppard MP, who was one of several MPs who brought forward a key amendment demanding the further devolution of powers, warned the conference of the impact of an SNP defeat at the next election.

“If we lose that election, then that journey [towards independence] stops. The debate will be closed down and it will be taken off the table. So we cannot afford to lose that election,” he said.

“People are being offered the choice between a right-wing, populist, dangerous Conservative Party on the one hand and a shallow husk of a party that used to be called Labour which has zero ambition under its current leadership.

“In Scotland, we have a better choice.”

However, the strategy found some internal disagreement, most notably from veteran MP, Pete Wishart.

The MP for Perth and North Perthshire unsuccessfully attempted to convince SNP members to back the policy of a “de facto” referendum.

He said: “There’s lots of talk in advance of this conference that we downplay or stop talking about independence.

“But this isn’t the time to retreat from our core mission or give up the fight. It is time to motivate and inspire.

“It’s time to give our independence support a real reason to get out there and vote.”

Mr Wishart added: “By all means, vote for amendment A if you want, but all you are actually going to be doing is giving Westminster something new to say no to.”

He added: “Our one job is to deliver a result which demonstrates that a majority of the people of Scotland want to become an independent nation.

“It will give us the real credibility when we approach international institutions, we will have Scotland’s express consent to redesign our relationship with Westminster.”

Graeme McCormick, who is challenging former cabinet secretary Michael Russell for the role of party president, labelled the strategy “flatulence in a trance”.

“What we have in front of us here is what I would term flatulence in a trance,” he said.

“Because we're being offered things that nobody knows what they're talking about - this thing and that thing and all the rest of it and we're supposed to come together on that."

Constitution spokesperson for the Scottish Conservatives, Donald Cameron, said the debate showed the SNP were “hell-bent” on fighting the next election as a “proxy referendum”.

He said: “They have agreed to launch another independence campaign by the end of this year and are seeking to put independence for Scotland on the ballot paper.

“Humza Yousaf and the SNP are committed to wasting more taxpayers’ money on independence, rather than addressing the real priorities of Scotland.

“Our country cannot afford another five years of the SNP’s constitutional obsession. That will only ignore the real issues people are facing which deserve urgent attention from Humza Yousaf and the SNP.”