THE agenda for the SNP conference is “no longer fit for purpose” and must be scrapped, the party’s national secretary has been told.
The concerns come because the draft agenda for the SNP national conference – which is due to be held from August 30 to September 1 – was drawn up before the snap General Election, which saw the SNP drop to just nine Scottish seats.
SNP members have raised concerns with The National that the party could also see severe losses in the 2026 Holyrood election unless they take stock and change tack with “urgency”.
But there are fears that no such "vital" discussion will happen at conference as the draft agenda has been set, and party bureaucracy is said to be standing in the way of any additions.
The SNP Tweeddale branch has sent a letter to national secretary Lorna Finn outlining concerns about the conference agenda, which this paper understands reflect conversations taking place across other branches in the party as well.
There are further concerns about a survey sent to party members and endorsed by John Swinney asking for people to give feedback on the SNP’s General Election campaign.
Several SNP members who spoke to The National dismissed the survey as a “box-ticking exercise” and, more strongly, “a joke”.
They raised concerns that the questions were too closed to offer real insight, with one person suggesting it amounted to asking: “How is the Scottish Government’s performance? Good, really good, or excellent.”
In their letter, the Tweeddale branch said: “Following the distressing General Election result, the party should take radical and urgent steps to re-engage with and listen to the voice of the members.
“It is clear that there are structural and procedural issues within the party which obstruct members from playing a full part in decision-making. These have to change. The membership is a vast resource of vision and energy and stands ready to help.
“We welcome the survey which the leader circulated but noted how loaded many of the choices were and how little opportunity there was for real input of ideas. Potentially, there are only two more annual conferences before the Holyrood election in May 2026. The first of those is happening in six weeks' time.
“The draft agenda for the 2024 conference was formed before the election and is no longer fit for purpose.
“We ask that: the current draft agenda be set aside [and] the whole time of the conference be given over to a process of themed group conversations and plenaries aimed at eliciting ideas and strategies from participants about the way forward.”
The Tweeddale letter concludes by saying: “We think it is now or never for the party — prevarication will lead to more people leaving us and ultimately risks another and worse electoral disaster in the Holyrood vote.”
SNP councillor for Tweeddale East Marshall Douglas confirmed that the letter obtained by The National had been drawn up by his branch and sent to Finn.
He said: “The important thing is that adequate time is given to deliberation on the election.
“Really we need to get on and deliberate the way forward now, with a Scottish election in less than two years’ time.
“The party just has to listen to people, where people think things went wrong, and how we can address that situation. There is an urgency to this. It’s not something we can sit on.”
Another SNP member said they found it “bizarre” that the party would hold a conference with an agenda that does not feature a reflection on the General Election result or planning ahead to the 2026 Holyrood vote.
“If we are serious about winning in two years’ time, a very different approach has to be taken to party democracy, policy, and a serious independence strategy,” they said.
Simon Barrow, the national secretary of the SNP Trade Union Group, the party's largest affiliate body, said that “listening and learning needs to be broad as well as deep”.
Barrow told The National: "Speaking personally, I think it is vital that the SNP creates space as soon as possible for an open, tough-minded, but constructive discussion among members about issues the party needs to face after the hammering it got during the General Election.
"That discussion and listening [has] to be conducted in an inclusive way, and it is surely inconceivable that it will not start in some shape or form at party conference next month.
“Setting aside some portion of that gathering to give members the chance to share their thoughts and ideas on the party's direction and future seems only sensible.”
The SNP have been approached for comment.
