A SENIOR SNP MP has savaged his party’s lack of a plan to deliver independence, saying “the cupboard is bare”.

Angus MacNeil said the SNP had “ended up at the mercy of the Tories by our hand”, after failing to get past the UK Government’s refusal to block another referendum.

Mocking those who, like Nicola Sturgeon, "boldly proclaim ... that Boris Johnson’s position is unsustainable’” he said: “The cold hard fact, which some of us may not want to admit to, is that we have no escape."

The Western Isles spoke out after the SNP hierarchy again blocked a debate on an independence Plan B at next month’s virtual conference.

Mr MacNeil and Inverclyde Councillor Chris McEleny have long campaigned for an alternative route to independence that does not rely on the UK Government's permission.

Ms Sturgeon’s position is to wait for the UK Government to grant Holyrood the powers it needs to hold a legally watertight referendum, as happened for the 2014 vote.

However, the Prime Minister has ruled that out, saying the No result was a ‘once in a generation event’, as Ms Sturgeon and Alex Salmond said at the time.

Ms Sturgeon and her ministers argue this UK line is “unsustainable”, and would crumble in the face of another SNP majority at next year’s Holyrood election.

However Mr Johnson has shown no signs of blinking so far, and knows that losing Indyref2 would end his political career and throw his party into turmoil.

Mr MacNeil and Mr Eleny have demanded for a Plan B that does not rely on the UK Government granting a Section 30 order empowering Holyrood to hold a referendum.

They argue a majority SNP win in a general or Holyrood election should be regarded as a mandate to open independence negotiations - although critics point out this would also require the UK Government’s cooperation.

Ms Sturgeon maintains the Section 30 route used for 2014 remains the “gold standard”.

After trying in vain to have their Plan B put on the party’s conference agenda, Mr MacNeil and Mr McEleny said they were “bitterly disappointed that SNP members have been denied the right to debate the party’s independence strategy”. 

Instead, they said delegates would be offered “an open mic session” to voice an opinion on independence, with a party National Assembly on independence next year. 

However, neither event will have the authority to approve a new independence strategy.

The pair said an agreed referendum should still be the first choice but if Westminster kept blocking Indyref2, the 2021 election should be a “de facto referendum on independence”.

They said the blocking of a debate would be “very unpopular” with the SNP grassroots. 

Mr McEleny said: “Now is not the time for a talking shop, now is the time for action. 

“Public opinion is now consistently measuring that a majority of Scots want independence. 

“In advance of last year’s General Election it was said that we didn’t need a Plan B because Boris Johnson’s opposition to a referendum would be blown away by an SNP victory. 

“We won a landslide at the General election and he still said no. 

“If the SNP win a majority next year, and polls are showing even greater support for independence, are Westminster suddenly going to agree to a referendum when it’s even more likely that they will lose it? 

“The more it looks like Scots will vote for independence the more the forces at Whitehall will act to block our right to self determination. 

“Plan B puts political pressure on the UK Government to agree to a referendum and it makes it clear that the SNP will ensure the democratic voice of Scotland is heard.” 

Mr MacNeil added: “Scotland should now be in a situation to free itself from this kamikaze cliff jump by the Tories, or more correctly the Scottish Government should be. 

“However, the cold hard fact, which some of us may not want to admit to, is that we have no escape. The Scottish Government is unarmed to fight or even ameliorate the choices that Tories have foisted on us. 

“We have ended up here at the mercy of the Tories by our own hand. Unless we change our Plan-A-only policy, it doesn’t matter how much those who have the microphone boldly proclaim that Plan A has ‘momentum’ or that Boris Johnson’s position is ‘unsustainable’.

“It has been almost four-and-a-half years since the Brexit vote and face facts, the cupboard is bare.”

An SNP spokesman said: "Effective leadership during the global pandemic is proving a real boost to support for an independent Scotland.

"Next month's SNP conference will focus on what’s important to the people of Scotland, and independence will very much be at the heart of debate."