Independence is no longer on the agenda. But the SNP has failed to notice

Humza Yousaf is now grappling with pipe dreams, not the real issues facing Scotland

Source - Daily Telegraph -  16/10/23

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The SNP’s annual conference in Aberdeen could hardly have come at a worse time for the separatist party. On this occasion last year, Nicola Sturgeon was still leader awaiting the outcome of a court decision on whether a new independence referendum would be lawful if not agreed by Westminster. 

The judges decided it wouldn’t be, whereupon Ms Sturgeon said she would turn the next general election into a vote on Scotland’s future. In the peroration to her speech, she said the SNP could look forward with “optimism, confidence and determination”.

It has not quite turned out that way. Ms Sturgeon has stepped down and faces questions along with her husband about the party’s finances.

Her successor Humza Yousaf has struggled to build a profile and has presided over the disastrous loss of Rutherglen and Hamilton West at a recent by-election, as well as the defection of MP Lisa Cameron to the Conservatives.

The SNP’s seats look vulnerable to a resurgent Labour Party able to pitch to Scottish voters for the first time in more than a decade the realistic prospect of being able to topple the Tories.

Despite this calamitous series of events, Mr Yousaf is just ploughing on as if nothing has happened. The conference’s opening day was given over to yet another debate about independence. The SNP leader reaffirmed that the next election would be treated as a referendum on the matter.

When the party had the realistic chance of winning a majority of the seats in Scotland that might have looked like a clever tactic. Now that it looks as though they could lose up to 30 to Labour it seems eccentric. Mr Yousaf said the “democratic process will prevail” in the party’s cause. With unionist parties now looking likely to win a majority of seats, by his own logic that should put paid to the tiresome independence debate for good.