24 hours on, pretty much everyone seems to have come to the same conclusion (with the assistance of briefings from the FM himself) about Humza Yousaf’s “independence strategy” as the one Wings saw immediately yesterday, namely that he’s taken Nicola Sturgeon’s flawed version of a de-facto referendum and made it even less credible.
In as far as they’re talking about it at all, anyway.
Still wondering what Humza Yousaf’s going to say to the SNP’s pretend “conference” on independence strategy this coming Saturday? Well, wonder no longer, because this morning he told Sky News.
In other words, he’s waving the white flag and praying for a miracle.
The Scottish National Party’s primary and defining purpose is Scottish independence. Next weekend’s “special conference” will at least notionally determine its policy on that subject for years to come. On the face of it it’s the most important congregation of party members in the SNP’s history.
The Caird Hall can accommodate just 3% of the claimed membership. (And you’d expect at least half the seats to have been reserved in advance for the faithful payroll.) Members ought to be fighting like dogs for a ticket. And yet a week before the event the leader is having to send out pleading letters to try to scare up enough attendees that it won’t be a half-empty humiliation.
The SNP tell us that independence support is currently at 53%.
They tell us that most Scots want a referendum within the next year:
And we know that it’s absolutely unequivocally possible for the SNP and Greens to trigger a Holyrood election which would serve as a de facto referendum not only within a year, but within weeks. Scots could entirely realistically go to the polls this August or September, or even on the date Nicola Sturgeon promised less than a year ago.
So why are the SNP choosing this of all moments to give up?
Sven on A Stitch In Timing: “Fearghas Macfhionnlaigh. My own view on that would be that by misnaming a devolved administration as a Parliament a clear…” Feb 6, 15:24
Lorna Campbell on A Stitch In Timing: “With a heavy heart, I have to agree with you, Southernbystander, but not all Scots are anaesthetized by colonialism. Truth…” Feb 6, 15:24
Lorna Campbell on A Stitch In Timing: “I’m not privy, GM, as you might imagine, to what the powers-that-be are up to, but I think that the…” Feb 6, 15:12
Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on A Stitch In Timing: “I would assume that Alex Salmond, and Winnie Ewing (‘The Scottish Parliament, which adjourned on March 25 1707, is hereby…” Feb 6, 14:50
barelybare on A Stitch In Timing: “Thanks for the explanation am firinn. I have a feeling only the initiated are going to truly understand what is…” Feb 6, 14:46
Alf Baird on A Stitch In Timing: “It is surely colonialism that makes a colonized people ‘dependent’. For “without colonialism there would be no colonized people” (Memmi).…” Feb 6, 14:25
Alf Baird on A Stitch In Timing: ““a devolved administration” That’s what the colonizer calls it. To the colonized it is always a colonial administration.” Feb 6, 13:47
TURABDIN on A Stitch In Timing: “@ALANM. AIDAN, HATEY All true, the political classes, not just in Scotland & England, seem stacked with those who couldn’t…” Feb 6, 13:28
Sven on A Stitch In Timing: “James Cheyne @ 12.59. Only initially renamed a ‘Parliament’ over a weekend owing to the vanity of Mr Salmond, “James”,…” Feb 6, 13:18
James Cheyne on A Stitch In Timing: “If the parliament in Scotland today was a real Scottish parliament it would not have reserved matters restrictions placed on…” Feb 6, 12:59
James Cheyne on A Stitch In Timing: “Define Scottish Government, from…Governance sent to Scotland from the Westminster of England- Ireland parliament since the dissolved parliament of Great…” Feb 6, 12:50
James Cheyne on A Stitch In Timing: “I wonder whom you do blame when Scotland made no 1707 treaty with the parliament of Great Britain nor with…” Feb 6, 12:43
James Cheyne on A Stitch In Timing: “The Westminster parliament ( Scotland ) act 1995 was passed by the Anglo- Irish united kingdom parliament. Which Scotland has…” Feb 6, 12:38
Hatey McHateface on A Stitch In Timing: ““Section 170 dates from 1995 and has not been amended. It would now be within the powers of the Scottish…” Feb 6, 12:02
Hatey McHateface on A Stitch In Timing: “Excellent post, Southernbystander. Another side effect of the eternal “it wisnae us cos we’re bound hand and foot” attitude is…” Feb 6, 11:56
Cynicus on A Stitch In Timing: ““…the Scottish Government is in court trying to defend its policy of letting male murderers be housed in women’s prisons…” Feb 6, 11:55
gerry parker on A Stitch In Timing: “Thank you for reaching out – we do not intend to respond.” Feb 6, 11:49
Hatey McHateface on A Stitch In Timing: “@TURABDIN It may be quicker and easier to compile a list of those in public life with no links to…” Feb 6, 11:46
am firinn on A Stitch In Timing: “The 1995 Act was originally passed by our dear friends who are always looking out for our interests, at Westminster.…” Feb 6, 11:43
am firinn on A Stitch In Timing: “The reason is that s170 of the 1995 Act applies to summary proceedings, such as the case against Mr Hirst,…” Feb 6, 11:29
Aidan on A Stitch In Timing: “Yeah I mean Ross Greer is co-leader of a political party that was in government recently, the mind boggles. I’m…” Feb 6, 11:25
Southernbystander on A Stitch In Timing: “‘Dear Lord, will people stop trying to blame everything on England and take responsibility for what is happening in Scotland?…” Feb 6, 11:16
James Cheyne on A Stitch In Timing: “The laws changing Scotlands laws have evolved over the years and centuries into double triple layers of laws, from different…” Feb 6, 11:12
sydthesnake on The Marshalling Plan: “Sometimes you need to hold your nose, and act to get rid of the smell. SNP are the biggest obstacle…” Feb 6, 11:08
ALANM on A Stitch In Timing: “Many of the problems we face stem from the fact that our politicians are low calibre individuals who are completely…” Feb 6, 11:04
diabloandco on A Stitch In Timing: “Nail on the head Lorna.” Feb 6, 10:57
Alf Baird on A Stitch In Timing: ““pushing a certain mindset that brooks no dissent” Which, in a colonial society can only be a ‘colonial mindset’, because…” Feb 6, 10:36
Willie on A Stitch In Timing: “Yes Barely Bare how could very substantial damages be paid in the failed Rangers prosecution but denied tp Mark Hirst.…” Feb 6, 10:29
