KENNY MacAskill has claimed the First Minister “never possessed a Plan B” after requests for a Section 30 order were rejected by Boris Johnson.
The East Lothian MP, writing in the new issues of the Scottish Left Review, also urges the Yes movement to focus on unglamorous community work to make the case for independence while calling for bigger, less frequent marches to be held to maximise their impact.
According to The Herald, he describes marching and flag waving as “all well and good” but says they don’t win votes.
Claiming the FM “never possessed a Plan B” for indyref2, MacAskill urges Holyrood to call for a consultative plebiscite on independence to test its validity in the courts.
He writes: “Many believe, whatever the First Minister may think, that a consultative referendum is legally possible. There may well be judicial approval for it.
“But even if there isn’t then the organisation of one is also a democratic right. Test it legally and see and if not, then it’s Plan B.”
Other SNP politicians, including Joanna Cherry, have urged the Scottish Government to legislate for indyref2 without Downing Street’s consent as a mechanism to test Scotland’s right to hold a second vote in the Supreme Court.
READ MORE: Joanna Cherry urges SNP to force Boris Johnson into court fight
Nicola Sturgeon has warned such an approach could backfire for the SNP.
MacAskill goes on to seemingly disregards any suggestion that indyref2 will be staged this year.
“Parties supporting the right to choose require to be ready to move after the 2021 election,” he writes.
On marches, MacAskill adds: “Political strategy is required but so is practical action. Marching and flag waving are all good and well. But votes they don’t win and services they don’t protect.
“Work has to start in communities. Engaging with people, feeling their pain as austerity bites and offering hope to those simply enduring.
“It’s not glamorous and its mostly political ‘grunt’ work. But it needs done.”
READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon: I am still the best person to lead the SNP
However, the SNP MP does not discount the role of marches, calling for the events to increase in size.
He continues: “The greatest danger to our cause, whether independence or socialism, comes from defeatism and that’s why direct engagement not just marching through is needed,” he writes.
“Folk need to know we care and that we’re acting to defend them.
“There’s a place for marches and demonstrations but fewer and bigger ones will have far greater effect and achieve more coverage.”
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