A FORMER SNP communications chief has called on the party to do more to set out why people should support independence ahead of the May election.
Kevin Pringle said Boris Johnson’s actions as Prime Minister were “making things easy” for the Scottish Government ahead of the Holyrood poll due to take place in May. But he also cautioned the SNP against over relying on Johnson’s unpopularity.
“Johnson’s antics make things easy for the SNP government and, in that sense, the sustained lead the “yes” movement has enjoyed in the polls since last summer has been effortless,” said Pringle writing in the Sunday Times.
“However, as we approach this year’s Holyrood election, the SNP will have to set out more of its thinking on how and why an independent Scotland should be achieved in today’s world.”
Pringle praised the party’s national assembly last week when it discussed a paper from Constitution Secretary Michael Russell proposing how the party would hold a new referendum even if Johnson fails to give his consent to the vote “I think this is a radical but sensible development,” wrote Pringle.
“To help protect the bill in court, careful thought could be given to wording the referendum question differently from 2014, for example in a way that mandates the Scottish government to seek independence negotiations.”
He added: “Above all, achieving a fourth term of government and an independence majority will require a degree of party discipline and self-discipline that appear to be lacking in the SNP just now. If people value the prize, they have to behave accordingly.”
Some 20 successive polls have recorded majority support for independence with the SNP on course to win a record fourth term in government.
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