'Out of touch' SNP issued major Indyref2 warning as Humza Yousaf's plans 'devoid of credibility'
Humza Yousaf's plans for independence have been criticised
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Humza Yousaf’s plans for Scottish Independence have been branded "devoid of credibility", a senior Nationalist has warned.
The First Minister will seek independence negotiations with Westminster if his party wins the most seats in Scotland at the next general election.
The motion Yousaf is backing proposes to make the first line of the manifesto "Vote SNP for Scotland to become an independent country".
If the party wins the most seats, the Scottish Government will be "empowered to begin immediate negotiations with the UK Government to give democratic effect to Scotland becoming an independent country".
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SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn has also endorsed the plan.
Alex Neil, a former Scottish Government minister, branded the party "out of touch".
He said that the SNP should instead be focusing on improving the lives of Scots.
Neil has called for Yousaf to drop the motion which is due to be debated at a party conference in Aberdeen.
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The former SNP MSP said that the plan should be scrapped as part of a wider goal to overhaul Yousaf’s leadership.
His warning comes after the SNP’s battering by Labour at the Rutherglen by-election.
Labour took the seat from the SNP, with a staggering 58.6 per cent of the vote share.
Neil said the result was not shocking: "I've thought for months we were heading in that direction because we have stopped listening to the people.
"We're not concentrating on the big issues. We should be massively expanding housebuilding and addressing the issues in education, and ditching stuff that's for the chatterati.
Alex Neil, Ex Minister for Housing and Communities of Scotland, has urged that the SNP to drop the motion
Wikimedia Commons"I think we've lost touch in recent times, even before Nicola Sturgeon stood down. I think Humza needs to ditch the label of Mr Continuity and instead be Mr Change of Direction.
"He should start that at the conference at the weekend. The first thing he should do is withdraw his motion which says if the SNP wins the most seats at the general election, that will be a basis for independence negotiations."
"That line had no credibility before Rutherglen and it is now totally devoid of credibility."
Neil believes that to bring about independence, Scotland must first focus on everyday issues affecting Scots.
“The overriding priority should be addressing day-to-day issues,” he said.
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