THE SNP leadership candidates put the focus on independence as the party held their hustings in the contest to replace Nicola Sturgeon as leader.
The event took place in Cumbernauld, with SNP president Michael Russell hosting Kate Forbes, Ash Regan and Humza Yousaf.
Those not in the room were able to watch through the SNP’s social media – after the party made a U-turn on plans to keep it private.
Yousaf was first up and told members that his grandfather – who came to Scotland 61 years ago – could not dream that his grandson could be running for first minister.
He then paid tribute to outgoing first minister Nicola Sturgeon, saying that she will be “immortalised in our history books”.
The spotlight was put on independence by all three rivals for the leadership – and that’s where Yousaf turned next.
He said: “I am impatient, I am hungry for independence. We need independence now. To put it frankly, I am tired of the damage and the harm Westminster is doing to our people time and time again.
“How can we accept that we live in a country that is energy-rich but our people are fuel-poor?”
Yousaf added that he wants to “get out there” and talk about the SNP’s vision for independence.
“I believe in a Scotland that is socially just. I believe in the wellbeing economy,” he said, and made a guarantee that he will fully support whoever wins the leadership contest and that, if he does win, he would be “first activist” as well as first minister.
Forbes made the case that the SNP had “for too many years” become “the party of referendums [instead of] the party of independence”.
She said: “If elected as first minister, the first job that I would do on day one would be set out an independence action plan.
“A plan that outlines precisely how we are going to increase support for independence. But more than that, it sets out that in 2024 at the next Westminster election, we will put independence front and centre.
“And at that election, we will fight for the right to hold a referendum within three months of that election.”
Regan argued that a clear action plan is needed if Scotland is going to win independence.
She said she believes in a collegiate style of governance, where “people of ability” are promoted to the highest position and allowed the freedom to get on with their portfolios.
She added that she is the “unity candidate” for the independence movement after saying: “I’m putting forward the voter empowerment mechanism, which will allow us to move forward with independence when the people of Scotland are ready.”
Regan said: “Independence is the immediate priority for Scotland. We can’t afford to wait any longer.”
The hustings returned to the subject when an SNP member asked whether the candidates would be prepared to invoke Scotland’s “claim of right for independence following a vote of 50%+1 for independence”.
Yousaf said he does not want to get “bogged down” in process. He added that if there was a “quick way” of getting independence, then Sturgeon would have found it.
He said members must be listened to but that any suggestions must be competent IN a legal framework.
“Let’s discuss it. Let’s do the regional assemblies,” Yousaf added.
Regan referred back to her “voter empowerment mechanism”, while Forbes called for the support for independence to be “maximised” – saying her ambition is “much bigger than 50%+1”.
Candidates were also quizzed on issues including countering disinformation, childcare, challenging the UK Government’s block on Section 35 and buffer zones.
Forbes said that she “cannot imagine” the fear, anxiety and stress that women go through when getting an abortion, adding that she is willing to work with Gillian Mackay to ensure her buffer zones legislation “works and is proportionate”.
Another question put to the trio was on the bravest thing they have done in politics.
Yousaf said that going into a room with the First Minister and Deputy First Minister to plead for more money for the NHS when he knew how tight the budget was ranks as one of his bravest moments.
He also said that standing up to hatred as a politician and needing increased security on his house as a result prove his credentials as a
“brave” politician.
Forbes replied that the bravest thing she has done was during her early days as a candidate for election, “stuffed into a tiny village hall full of people who hated me”.
“There was one guy, a pretty big guy, who kept heckling. So I said ‘excuse me, sir, if you’ve got something to say to me come and say it at the front’.
“And his wife nudged him and said ‘shut up’ and that was that.”
Regan said that resigning as an SNP minister on a point of policy was one of her bravest moments.
“It got to the point, a few days before, I was speaking to representatives of Nicola Sturgeon, sort of laying out my position, saying it was a red line position for me and I couldn’t vote for it,” she explained.
“I didn’t want to resign. But I felt that this was important for me and I had to stand up for what I believed was right.”
The final question was on whether Scotland will ask for a similar arrangement that Northern Ireland has been granted with regards to membership of the EU single market.
Forbes responded that there is no reason that Scotland cannot be one of the wealthiest countries in the world – “not as an end in itself, but to eradicate the scourge of poverty” – adding if Northern Ireland could have that Brexit deal, Scotland should be able to have the same.
Regan said that while she would ask the UK Government for a similar arrangement, she doesn’t think it would be forthcoming, and that the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) could be a good option in the short term because rejoining the EU may take “up to 10 years”
Yousaf called for the party to make sure the clip of Rishi Sunak preaching about the benefits of the EU single market for Northern Ireland is “in every living room”, adding that he did not support the EFTA route.
