SNP activists are banding together in a bid to force a debate on the party’s independence strategy at the upcoming conference, The National understands.
Insiders told the newspaper that members from around 40 branches are set to meet over the weekend to create an amendment to the draft conference agenda to allow a debate to go ahead.
We told how the SNP leadership was accused of “shutting down debate” after multiple draft resolutions on the party’s independence strategy did not make it on to the provisional agenda.
Members can submit amendments to motions contained in the draft agenda, and it will also have to be voted through by delegates before the conference is held in Aberdeen in October.
We told how numerous branches put forward proposals ranging from contesting the next General Election as a de facto referendum, setting up a constitutional convention, and putting in place plans for when Westminster inevitably refuses to grant a Section 30 order to hold a referendum. However, none of these appeared in the provisional agenda.
Two motions discussing independence did: one requesting the appointment of an Independence Commission to update and renew the prospectus for Scottish independence, and another asking for “evidence-based resources” to answer questions most commonly asked by undecided voters.
The National understands that there is no final amendment text yet, but SNP members will meet over the weekend to put together a motion that the party’s conferences committee will accept.
An insider said that members are thinking carefully about wording to give it the best chance to get on the agenda.
“We will not be using the words de facto,” the source explained.
“We’re trying to tone this all down so that it will be accepted.”
It’s understood that the phrasing will centre around “Scotland’s right to choose”, a term frequently used by First Minister John Swinney.
“The folk behind this amendment are not disruptors, they are not fundamentalists, they are moderates, gradualists, including staffers and loyal activists who are seriously concerned that independence is being shelved for this entire Holyrood term,” an insider told The National.
“We ask the conferences committee to take note of the strength of feeling among the membership and allow amendments on independence strategy in the final agenda, or are we saying that in a three-day event, we can't find an hour to discuss how to further independence?
“If that's the case, why are we here? Does the conference committee realise that we're haemorrhaging members every day?”
They added that blocking a discussion on achieving independence “will only accelerate that”.
“We need a clear political response to the new Burnham government,” they added.
“Merging health boards and tinkering with local authority boundaries to save a few pennies won't cut it. That alone can't be the SNP's purpose in this entire Holyrood term.”
In Swinney’s Programme for Government, the First Minister said he will “continue to make the case for Scotland’s right to decide on a fresh start with independence”. However, the main focus has been on plans to make sweeping changes to Scotland's public bodies.
While the Scottish Government published a draft independence referendum bill last week, it cannot be brought forward as Holyrood does not have the powers to pass it. The Supreme Court ruled in 2022 that the constitution is reserved to Westminster.
The brewing row between SNP members and the leadership comes as the party lost two Edinburgh City Council by-elections, to the Scottish Greens and Scottish Labour.
“Look at the trouncing in Edinburgh,” the source added. “We lost both by-elections because we're not being SNP enough, and that's obvious to everyone.
“We can turn this around, but only if conference takes control as the supreme governing body of the party and sets a clear plan to deliver independence.”
After his first meeting with Swinney in Glasgow, we told how Prime Minister Andy Burnham said talk of an independence referendum is “off limits”.
The comments have led to calls from SNP members for the party to set out its strategy ahead of the next General Election, expected to be in 2029.
