The first minister admitted that the people probably wouldn't have voted for his party if they weren't interested in independence
SNP could get a mandate in the next general election to hold another independence referendum, even if it loses seats and wins only a third of the popular vote in Scotland, Humza Yousaf insisted.
Public opinion polls show that the nationalists are on paths to lost more than half of the 48 seats they won in the 2019 election, and voter support in the Westminster election fell to 34%.
But the First Minister argued that “general election rules” meant the SNP will win if it wins more seats than any other party north of the border.
Even if the SNP does not win a majority, Mr Yousaf said that still gives him a mandate to “initiate negotiations with the UK government” to hold another referendum “as soon as possible”.
In an extraordinary speech, he also stated that winning a majority of the seats would mean that he had a mandate to “lay the foundations of a new independent state” and draft a divorce agreement in order to leave the UK.
But Mr Yusuf acknowledged that voters who supported the party in previous elections “probably won't” continue to do so unless they want another referendum in the near future.
Confusion between the parties
He was speaking the day after the SNP held a special convention in Dundee for members to discuss the party's independence strategy, and Mr Yousaf stated that the first line of the party manifesto would be: “Vote the SNP for Scotland to become an independent nation”.
However, his speech seemed to cause confusion among the SNP deputies.
Some have argued that he supported Nicola Sturgeon's plan to use the election as a “de facto” referendum when the SNP demanded independence. negotiations if the nationalist parties win more than half of the popular vote.
On the contrary, Mr. Yusaf's proposal would trigger negotiations on another referendum, not on independence itself, and would drastically lower the share of the popular vote that should have been get SNP.
James Mitchell, a professor of public policy at the University of Edinburgh and an expert on the history of the SNP, said Mr Yousaf's message was “still deeply confusing” and “drenched in ambiguity and inconsistency.”
He asked: “If the SNP remain the largest party but, say, 35% of the vote and the subsequent loss of several seats, would this constitute a mandate and for what exactly?
Criticizing the UK government's refusal to allow another referendum, Mr Yousaf said in an interview with the BBC Scotland Sunday Show: “So, in the absence of that, the next way to test the independence proposal is, of course, a general election. And the rules for the general election are quite simple.
“The party with the most seats wins the general election, of course. So look for this mandate to negotiate with the UK government on how to translate this proposal into democratic force.”
Asked how he could get a mandate if two-thirds of Scots voted for other parties, he said: “All your viewers who voted for the general election know that the party with the most seats wins this general election.
Laying the groundwork for an 'independent state'
Mr Yousaf argued that the UK government should hold another referendum 'if you want to test the proposal (of independence) against popular support'.
He added: “This does not just give us a mandate to negotiate with the UK government, it actually gives us a mandate to take on the role of the Scottish government and lay the foundations of a new independent state.”
< p>“We will do it in many ways, for example, a draft legal text for a withdrawal agreement (from the UK), a draft interim constitution, the creation of a special representative in Brussels.”< /p>
Ms Sturgeon argued in recent elections that Scots should vote for the SNP even if they oppose independence or another referendum, but Mr Yusuf appears to have accepted that this will not happen again.
First Minister said he was “trying to get as many people as possible” to support separation, but those who didn't want a second vote on separation “probably won't support” his party.
Jackie Bailey, deputy leader Scottish Labour, said: “Humza Yusuf has made it clear that if your priority is not divisive and subversive in referendums, the SNP does not want your vote.
“This is a one-issue party with no clear plan on how to its only policy of independence.”
Megan Gallagher, deputy leader of the Scottish Tories, said: “Humza Yousaf's latest plan to advance his obsession with independence confirms that he has taken Nicola Sturgeon's strategy and put it into action. steroids.
“After speaking at the nationalist gallery on Saturday, the general public will see through these interviews that he is obsessed with turning the next general election into a polarizing vote on the breakup of the United Kingdom.”
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