The Steamie: SNP MP on 'ditching' de-facto independence referendum and the troubled deposit return scheme

An SNP MP has spoken at length about his intervention in the debate around plans for a ‘de-facto’ referendum in the latest episode of political podcast The Steamie.

Stewart McDonald, the Glasgow South MP, used a new paper published ahead of his party's special conference next month to claim a de-facto referendum “will not deliver independence".

He warned that pursuing the strategy advocated for by Nicola Sturgeon "could set our movement back significantly", and suggested there were "no grounds to believe" a UK Government would accept the result.

One of the SNP’s most prominent backbenchers opens up to deputy political editor Conor Matchett in an exclusive interview featuring in this week’s The Steamie episode.

The fourth episode of The Steamie for 2022 is now live. Picture: JPI Media/Shutterstock

Elsewhere, The Scotsman’s political editor Alistair Grant discusses with Mr Matchett the decision by former Cabinet member Fergus Ewing to speak out against his Government’s own deposit return scheme (DRS).

Mr Ewing, who was Cabinet secretary for tourism and the rural economy until the ministerial reshuffle following the 2021 Holyrood election, has warned her flagship recycling policy is a “disaster” becoming a “catastrophe”.

Westminster correspondent Alexander Brown gives an update from London on this week’s Cabinet reshuffle, in which the contentious Lee Anderson was promoted to the role of deputy party chairman.

You can check out the latest episode of The Steamie wherever you get your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.