The SNP will put Scottish independence on the ballot paper at the next general election, with party members agreeing that winning a majority of the Westminster seats north of the border will constitute a mandate to begin negotiations on IndyRef2 with the UK Government.
Following a two-hour debate on the opening day of the SNP conference in Aberdeen, members approved a heavily amended motion which was first put forward by Humza Yousaf and Westminster leader Stephen Flynn.
The approved text states that the SNP will seek to add the words “Independence for Scotland” alongside its name and logo on the ballot paper, to make it “clear beyond doubt” to voters that this is its primary purpose at the election.
It adds that if the party then wins 29 or more of Scotland’s 57 Westminster seats, Holyrood ministers can “begin immediate negotiations with the UK Government to give democratic effect to Scotland becoming an independent country”, potentially including the transfer of powers to hold indyref2.
The party’s manifesto at the election, which is expected to be held next year, will also say on the first line of its first page that people should “vote SNP for Scotland to become an independent country”.
The decision ends a long period of uncertainty about the SNP’s independence strategy which began after the UK Supreme Court ruled nearly a year ago that Holyrood does not have the power to hold indyref2 without Westminster’s permission.
SNP members rejected the idea of treating the general election as a “de facto” referendum in which it would seek to win 50.1 per cent or more of the overall vote, an idea first put forward by Nicola Sturgeon before she resigned in February.
Its new aim of winning a majority of seats to achieve a mandate for negotiations with the UK is easier to achieve, but more difficult than the route favoured by Mr Yousaf, who wanted the bar to be set at merely winning more seats than any other party.
Opening the debate, he described Ms Sturgeon’s plan as the “wrong approach”, adding: “Let’s not fall into the trap of setting ourselves a bar no other party sets itself to win … in an election a majority of seats is a victory, plain and simple.”
Mr Yousaf, who has faced a tumultuous first six months as SNP leader, also made a plea for his party to unite behind the newly agreed strategy and “move on from talking about process to talking about policy”.
“After today, when we’ve democratically decided as a party together on the way forward, let us unite. For it is our unity which is our greatest strength as a party,” he said.
MP Tommy Sheppard, meanwhile, said only a referendum like the one held in 2014 could bring about independence, and that the only way to “keep alive the possibility” of this happening was by winning the election next year.
“If we lose that election, then that journey stops. The debate will be closed down and it will be taken off the table. So we cannot afford to lose that election,” he added.