Glasgow Southside MP encouraged to ‘trust yes movement’ with fears independence could be off

Glasgow Southside MP and Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has faced calls from veteran independence activists to “trust the yes movement”, as MPs and MSPs struggle to unite around her “de facto referendum” plan.

This comes after fears it could kill off independence as a prospect for decades if it fails. Sturgeon confirmed on Wednesday that the Scottish National party would run the next general election as a “de facto referendum” after the supreme court ruled that her government could not legislate for a second independence vote without Westminster’s approval, which has been consistently refused.

While Scottish opposition leaders admitted they wouldn’t engage with the plan, those on the pro-independence side have many questions about the structure and strategy and how it will be decided at a special party conference in the new year.

For this to work, the remit is simple, there will need to be a buy-in from all the MSPs and MPs, something that will struggle to be attained, especially with all the backlash that has come following the outcome in midweek.

The need to harness the diversity of the wide movement for the next stage was something SNP MP Joanna Cherry admitted needed to progress imminently, she said such a convention had been proposed by Sturgeon when that fateful day arrived that Brexit was kicking into the UK two years ago.

Sturgeon would admit this herself but everyone is on the same hymn sheet when they said the idea of a “de facto referendum” but there is also a concise idea about what happens in worst-case scenario.

Most recognise the Glasgow Southside MP’s rebranding of the independence movement as “Scotland’s democracy movement” to be a smart move that scoops up wavering voters and throws the ball back into Westminster’s court. There is significant concerns, however, as the “de facto” strategy is only two days old and MPs are wondering what the consultation process is.

Patrick Harvie, Scottish Greens Leader and MSP for Glasgow North, who are in the government with the SNP at Holyrood, have said they are fielding a full slate of candidates with the pledge that a vote for the Greens is a vote for independence. Their votes could be crucial in tipping pro-independence votes beyond the 50% mark.

Just two weeks ago, Harvie published new papers supporting independence for Scotland saying, “The United Kingdom is “incapable of the kind of transformational change” required to tackle the climate crisis.

“It is those that are refusing that preferred route of a democratic referendum that really have to answer the question, why should Scotland be left without that choice?

“Why should Scotland’s democratic mandate for a referendum, with pro-independence majorities and pro-referendum majorities elected time and time again be ignored.”