Squirming Humza Yousaf shifts the goalposts on independence

Desperate Humza Yousaf shifts the goalposts on independence AGAIN amid poll slump: SNP leader says winning ‘the most’ Scottish MPs at general election should be enough to split the UK – despite Nicola Sturgeon claiming threshold was 50% of votes

Desperate Humza Yousaf moved the goalposts again today on the SNP’s bid to make the next general election a ‘de facto’ independence referendum.

The First Minister squirmed as he was grilled on the idea, the subject of a chaotic special conference in Dundee yesterday. 

In interviews, Mr Yousaf suggested that the separatists winning ‘the most’ MPs next year would be enough to count as a mandate for breaking up the UK.

That appears to be a lower threshold than the ‘majority’ of MPs that was mooted at the conference. 

And it is significantly short of the 50 per cent plus of individual votes in Scotland that Nicola Sturgeon indicated would be the bar after the Supreme Court blocked her attempt to hold a referendum.

Amid turmoil in the SNP ranks, even Mr Yousaf’s own MPs have been admitting that a majority of votes should be their target.

The stance has been derided by the Tories and other parties, who point out that voters cast their ballots on a myriad of factors at general elections.

Humza Yousaf squirmed as he was grilled on his attempt to make the next general election a ‘de facto’ referendum today 

How to pursue independence was the subject of a chaotic SNP special conference in Dundee yesterday

Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross said Mr Yousaf had put Nicola Sturgeon’s strategy ‘on steroids’ 

Mr Yousaf conceded this morning that if he does ‘win’ the election he would only be able to ask the UK government to ‘negotiate’ about holding another referendum – a prospect that has been rejected by Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer. 

There have been signs the SNP’s support is being hammered by the chaos over its finances, and issues such as gender identity rights. 

Backing for independence has also been running consistently below 50 per cent.

Recent polling by PanelBase has predicted the SNP will take 21 of the available 59 Scottish seats at the next election, down from their current 45.

Meanwhile Scottish Labour are predicted to win 26 seats, meaning the SNP could fall short of the majority sought by Mr Yousaf. 

The Conservatives are projected to take seven and the Liberal Democrats five. 

Speaking on Sky News this morning, Mr Yousaf said a referendum was his ‘preferred’ option.

But he said that as that could not be secured ‘we will put a very simply proposition to the people of Scotland… a vote for the SNP is a vote for Scotland to become an independent country’.

He added: ‘If we win that general election we will then seek to negotiate with the UK government how we give democratic effect to that proposition.’

Pressed on what exactly he meant by ‘winning’ the election, Mr Yousaf said: ‘Every single general election, everybody knows the rules of a general election. The party that wins the most seats wins the general election.

‘The rules of a general election are thus, that of course the party that wins the most seats wins that general election.’

A floundering Mr Yousaf said: ‘I’m not saying to you if we win that general election Scotland suddenly becomes independent.

‘What I’m saying to you is that through a democratic, lawful means, we begin negotiation with the UK Government on how to give that proposition democratic effect.’

Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross said: ‘Humza Yousaf has taken up Nicola Sturgeon’s ‘de facto’ independence referendum strategy and put it on steroids.’ 

Nicola Sturgeon indicated 50 per cent of individual votes in Scotland would be the bar for making the general election a ‘de facto’ referendum 

Shadow Scottish secretary Ian Murray said the First Minister was ‘preparing for failure’.

He said: ‘Humza Yousaf is clearly preparing for failure with these plans, which seem to suggest that even if his party haemorrhage seats at the next election they will take it as a mandate to continue focusing on separation.

‘Today has laid bare just how bereft of fresh ideas the SNP truly is – even when it comes to their driving constitutional obsession.

‘Voters won’t be fooled by Humza Yousaf’s promise of a losers’ referendum – Scotland needs change and it’s clear the SNP is incapable of delivering it.’

Lib Dem MP Alistair Carmichael said the confused proposal from Mr Yousaf was ‘astonishing’. 

‘Humza Yousaf would try to declare independence off the back of (say) 35 per cent of the Scottish vote in a general election?’ he tweeted.  

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