Explained: SNP independence strategy adopted at conference

The new plan marks a shift away from Nicola Sturgeon's 'de facto referendum' plan, which would have meant negotiations on separation beginning if more than half of votes cast in a general election went to pro-independence parties.

It's also a move away from Mr Yousaf's proposal, announced in June, that the SNP would only have to win more seats than any other single party to have a mandate for independence.

Here's what you need to know in five minutes.

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What has been decided?

The SNP will "begin immediate negotiations" with the UK government if it wins the majority of Scottish seats at the next general election, expected to be in the second half of next year.

Negotiations would be carried out by a constitutional convention, consisting of MPs, MSPs and "representatives of civic Scotland", which would likely include trade union representatives and religious leaders.

It's been agreed the manifesto "should state on page one, line one, the following simple and powerful statement: Vote SNP for Scotland to become an independent country".

What has changed?

First Minister Humza Yousaf at the SNP party conference in Aberdeen (Image: PA)

The SNP had previously pledged to begin negotiations on independence if it won "the most" seats, but an amendment put forward at conference saw that changed to "majority of seats".

It means that negotiations would begin if the party wins 29 seats or more at the election, which is 14 fewer than they currently have.

Previously, the party would only have had to be the single biggest to begin talks, even without a majority of the seats.

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What would the negotiations look like?

That aspect is less clear.

Whoever is in number 10 Downing Street after the election would not enter into discussions about immediate independence, with the other parties stating that a general election is not a vote on a single issue.

The motion adopted by the SNP at conference says that the party's manifesto for the next election will "demand the permanent transfer of legal power to the Scottish Parliament to determine how Scotland is governed".

That would include the power to legislate for a referendum on independence - but again, the UK government would be under no obligation to agree to this.

The Supreme Court found late last year that a vote on Scottish independence cannot be held without the approval of Westminster, because constitutional matters are reserved.

Downing Street could simply state that they do not recognise the SNP winning a majority of seats as a mandate for independence and refuse to transfer the powers.

So what would happen in that case?

Again, it's not clear.

The motion adopted says that, should Westminster refuse to enter negotiations, "consideration should be given to fighting the next Scottish Parliament election in 2026 as a de facto referendum on independence; and that a majority at that election for the SNP – or the SNP and any other party with which we have reached a pro-independence agreement – will be considered a mandate to negotiate independence".

However, "consideration should be given" is a long way from a commitment to do so.

Will this be a game-changer at the general election?

It's hard to say and there's a long way to go until the UK goes to the polls, but at the moment you'd have to say probably not.

Support for independence doesn't appear to be wavering much - a recent Savanta poll for the Scotsman put Yes at 45% and No at 47%.

However, the same poll found just 34% of people thought the case for leaving the UK was stronger than in 2014, while first minister Humza Yousaf has admitted voters "don’t understand why independence is relevant to their everyday lives".

A Panelbase poll for the Sunday Times found only 13% of voters agreed that the SNP winning a majority of seats was a mandate to negotiate independence.

The party will hope the issue gets their base to turn out after a big defeat in the Rutherglen & Hamilton West by-election but polling shows them neck-and-neck with Scottish Labour across the country.