Humza Yousaf has said winning a majority of seats at the next election should mean ministers at Holyrood begin negotiations with their Westminster counterparts on achieving independence.
The First Minister used the SNP’s independence convention on Saturday to kickstart more discussions on how the party will secure the constitutional change.
The Westminster election, expected in 2024, will be pivotal to seeking talks with the UK Government on giving “democratic effect to Scotland becoming an independent nation”, he told SNP members at Dundee’s Caird Hall.
The First Minister said a majority of seats would be considered a mandate to either begin negotiations with Westminster — or demand a referendum on independence.
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The Herald has been at the heart of coverage of the independence debate, delivering the full spectrum of breaking news, opinion and analysis.
Here’s some of our latest coverage:
Humza Yousaf claims SNP general election win would be mandate for Indy
Humza Yousaf's Indy plan thrown into confusion by SNP MP Pete Wishart
ANALYSIS: The continuity candidate continues the SNP's disappointment
Humza Yousaf appears to admit his day-old Indy plan won't work
Recent polling by PanelBase has predicted the SNP will take 21 of the 59 Scottish seats at the next election, down from its current 45, while Scottish Labour is forecast to win 26 seats – meaning the nationalists would fall short of the majority sought by Mr Yousaf.
The two main parties at Westminster – Labour and the Conservatives – have said they will not grant a referendum.
Mr Yousaf fended off criticism that the strategy was effectively the same as his predecessor Nicola Sturgeon, who wanted the election to be fought as a “de facto referendum”, with more than 50% of the votes considered enough to open negotiations.
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