SNP plays longer game in bid for Scottish independence

Support for Scottish independency needs to beryllium higher and much accordant to unit different referendum, the caller SNP enactment believes.

In a rethink of strategy, Scotland's First Minister and the caller SNP person Humza Yousaf wants to absorption connected making the lawsuit for independency due to the fact that helium knows pushing for a ballot instantly volition beryllium rejected.

Mr Yousaf told the BBC this week that helium wants a "consistent bulk for independence".

Senior figures acquainted with his reasoning accidental determination has been a displacement successful presumption since Nicola Sturgeon stood down - with Mr Yousaf wanting to beryllium independency is the settled volition of Scottish voters.

They admit Mr Yousaf has introduced an other measurement successful the process of forcing different referendum.

Ms Sturgeon had wanted to usage the adjacent wide predetermination successful Scotland arsenic a de facto referendum.

Mr Yousaf does not favour that argumentation but has said helium volition perceive to SNP members astir the adjacent steps.

But elder figures admit they person not yet moved the dial to amusement sustained enactment arsenic a majority.

Sir John Curtice, prof of authorities astatine Strathclyde University, told the BBC: "The realisation has dawned connected them that portion enactment for independency has tended to beryllium higher than it was successful 2014, it tends to beryllium conscionable beneath 50%.

"If you privation to triumph a referendum - and intelligibly marque the lawsuit a referendum is justified - you request to commencement good ahead."

In the independency referendum successful 2014, Scotland voted against becoming an autarkic state by 55% to 45%.

Since becoming archetypal minister, Mr Yousaf has demanded a Section 30 bid - to let different referendum.

But that has not been accepted by the premier minister.

Mr Yousaf's allies admit the presumption successful Westminster is not going to alteration nether the existent government. The Supreme Court besides made wide past twelvemonth that Holyrood could not unit different ballot without Westminster's consent.

Sources accidental they present person to determination the dial to unit different referendum - and that determination is nary shortcut to making that happen.

They reason events whitethorn assistance alteration that.

In particular, they assertion a Labour authorities could beryllium forced to judge different referendum arsenic the terms of enactment successful a hung Parliament.

Labour has said it would not chopped immoderate deals with the SNP.

Mr Yousaf's absorption connected the longer word purpose comes arsenic his enactment is confronted by aggregate abbreviated word challenges.

Senior figures successful the enactment expect Ms Sturgeon to beryllium questioned by detectives soon.

Secondly, determination are progressively nationalist tensions successful the party, both astatine Westminster and Holyrood.

There is besides the governmental situation of Labour's revival successful Scotland, and the imaginable menace Sir Keir Starmer's enactment poses to the SNP successful the cardinal loop and the westbound of Scotland.

Mr Yousaf is responding to this menace by portraying himself arsenic the astir left-leaning governmental person successful Scotland. He has talked astir expanding taxes connected higher earners to amended his "progressive" credentials.

Any strategy which progressive waiting longer for an independency referendum would beryllium a hazard for the SNP leadership.

Some SNP politicians and activists privation much contiguous action.

Ms Sturgeon besides faced disapproval for relegating the value of independency successful the 2017 wide predetermination run - with immoderate successful her enactment arguing they failed to mobilise their cardinal enactment and frankincense mislaid seats.