SNP backs Humza Yousaf's Scottish independence plan

SNP delegates have backed Humza Yousaf's plan to use the next general election result to push for a second independence referendum.

An amended version of the strategy was voted through overwhelmingly at the party's annual conference being held in Aberdeen.

It is based on winning a majority of Scottish seats, at least 29.

This would provide a mandate for another referendum, according to the proposals.

Under the agreed strategy, if the SNP wins the majority of seats in Scotland in the next general election, it will demand the powers to hold a referendum are transferred to the Scottish Parliament.

Alternatively, the strategy said the party should consider using the 2026 Scottish Parliament election as a de facto referendum.

Opening the independence debate, Mr Yousaf said the SNP should put the constitution at the "front and centre" of its general election campaign.

The first minister vowed the party's manifesto would say "on page one, line one: Vote SNP for Scotland to become an independent country".

He told the party to unite behind its new independence strategy.

"Come together and work like we've never worked before to deliver a better future for our country," the SNP leader said.

Delegates backed his motion calling for the Scottish government to begin immediate negotiations with Westminster "to give democratic effect to Scotland becoming an independent country" if the party wins a majority of seats north of the border at the next general election.

The SNP clarified this could either be achieved via the UK government entering into talks on independence, backing the holding of another referendum, or transferring the powers for Holyrood to stage such a vote.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said the question of Scottish independence was settled in the 2014 referendum.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said he would reject a request for a second referendum if he became prime minister.

The number of UK Parliament constituencies in Scotland is set to decrease from 59 to 57 under a Westminster boundary review, meaning number of seats required for a majority will decrease from 30 to 29.

The first minister had initially proposed a strategy based on the SNP winning the "most" general election seats, which could be much lower than 29 if many other parties won seats.

Party insiders believe a majority of seats will give them a stronger mandate for independence talks.

In their motion to conference, Mr Yousaf and SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn proposed that the most seats in a general election would be sufficient for a mandate for independence negotiations.

The leadership supported an amendment to alter this to the majority of seats.

After two and a half hours of debate, the SNP officially have a new independence strategy.

It hinges on the next general election, where the leadership hopes winning a majority of Scottish seats - 29 - will help push independence forward.

In recent years the SNP has kept internal division largely out of the public eye. But opposing views were openly aired during this conference session.

It should be said however that it was a very good-natured debate.

The SNP may have come up with an independence strategy, but it involves eventual discussions with the UK government.

Whether that government proves to be Conservative or Labour, there's no sign that they will engage in any talk about advancing Scottish independence.

The SNP may pin their hopes on a hung UK Parliament, where no single party gets a majority. That could increase their leverage.

Agreeing a strategy internally was the easy part. Putting that into action could prove more difficult.

The strategy agreed by delegates proposed that to prepare for independence, detailed conditions of negotiations should be published, including draft legal text on the transfer of powers from Westminster to Holyrood.

Further work would be carried out on a draft interim constitution and on plans to re-join the EU.

The first minister and a majority of delegates backed an amendment that called for the SNP to launch a full-scale independence campaign by the end of the year.

They also supported a proposal to seek to add "Independence for Scotland", "or words to that effect", to the party's name on a the next general election ballot paper. This would "make it clear beyond doubt what's at stake at this election", the amendment said.

An amendment by MP Joanna Cherry - backed by delegates - said independence negotiations should be led by a "constitutional convention" of MSPs, MPs and representatives from "civic Scotland". She said this convention would be open to any parties who wanted to take part.

A successful amendment tabled by senior MPs said the party manifesto at the next general election should demand the permanent transfer of legal powers to Holyrood, including powers to hold a referendum.

It would demand that the incoming UK government devolved powers to "allow the Scottish government to properly tackle the twin crises of the cost of living and climate" - including employment rights, windfall taxes, energy regulation, overseas workers' visas and new borrowing powers.

The amendment stated that if the UK government continued to reject "demands of the Scottish people to decide their own future", the SNP should consider using the 2026 Scottish Parliament election as a "de facto" referendum.

It said an SNP majority, or a majority of the SNP and any pro-independence party it has an agreement with, would constitute a mandate to negotiate independence.

One dissenting delegate, Graeme McCormick, described the whole debate as "flatulence in a trance".

Scottish Conservative constitution spokesperson Donald Cameron MSP said: "Humza Yousaf and the SNP are committed to wasting more taxpayers' money on independence, rather than addressing the real priorities of Scotland."