11 hours ago
John Swinney to host independence debate with at SNP National Council
Details of the key policymaking body have been released, with half of the day dedicated to an open forum with SNP leader John Swinney, to allow members to "directly put their views to him and for him to share his opinions on those".
The council has traditionally met in between the party's conferences to discuss policy positions on a range of issues and act as a 'bridge' between members and the leadership.
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National Council was abolished in 2018 and reinstated in 2021 with the pledge that two would be held each year.
Where will the council be held?
The event will be held at Perth Concert Hall on Saturday, June 21.
What is on the agenda?
To coincide with the previous meeting in December, the party launched a renewed grassroots campaign in a bid to unite the support for Scottish independence and turn it into a movement.
Swinney has requested time to discuss how best to frame independence in the party's Holyrood campaign ahead of next year's vote with members.
The party said: "The conferences committee agreed to a request from John to give over time at this meeting of National Council for a more substantive exploration of the themes that members feel are an important part of that messaging.
"To facilitate that, the whole of the afternoon session will be an open forum with John to allow delegates to directly put their views to him and for him to share his opinions on those."
Elsewhere on the agenda, delegates will debate:
the introduction of a price cap on credit cards via legislation in an independent Scotland
to make first aid training compulsory in secondary schools
An amendment to put candidates with the most membership votes in each Regional List ballot first on their list in internal elections, and then organise the ranking of the remaining Regional List candidates in each region for the 2026 Scottish Parliamentary election based on specific equality mechanisms
Change 13 months to six months, in rules for how long an individual must be a party member to stand in the 2027 Local Government elections
What has the independence movement said ahead of the council?
Believe in Scotland founder Gordon MacIntyre-Kemp sent an email to subscribers with a message to SNP members who also volunteer with their local Yes groups. He revealed that all he wrote had already been communicated to SNP leadership in meeting with BiS.
MacIntyre-Kemp said: "The independence movement is at a critical juncture. The SNP, as its leading political arm, is struggling to convince even its most loyal supporters that it has a serious plan for delivering independence.
"Yet, because the SNP dominates the movement so completely, to the average voter outside the independence bubble, the SNP is the independence movement."
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He reflected on the recent by-election in Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse, adding: "The party refused to centre the campaign on independence, the radical change people are crying out for. Without that galvanising message, why would pro independence voters turn out for the SNP?
"The analysis everyone seems to have missed is this: if the SNP fails to offer radical change through independence, voters will drift to Labour. Why? Because they will mistakenly believe that a Scottish Labour first minister might wield some influence with an all powerful Labour Government in Westminster – unlike the SNP, which is simply ignored.
"The SNP's choice is stark: refocus on Scotland and the benefits of independence, or risk losing Holyrood 2026 to Labour and Sarwar. The clock is ticking."
