The “inevitability” of independence has been a key SNP message in recent years. It was linked to the projection of the party’s invincibility. But with its defeat in the Rutherglen and Hamilton West byelection, the forward march of the SNP has been halted.
The SNP’s record in office, the serious issues of internal party management and the failure to confront and address weaknesses in its independence prospectus have caught up with it. It is not inevitable that Scotland’s governing party will lose a large number of seats next year, but it looks increasingly likely.
