SNP chiefs yesterday revealed they were going back to the tactics of Alex Salmond’s 2007 Indy strategy amid major setbacks for the push to leave the UK. First Minister John Swinney marked the tenth anniversary of the independence vote by telling supporters they must “reach out” to “everyone” as he indicated an end to continually promising another referendum . 3 The FM said that IndyRef2 would only go ahead if there were overwhelming support for it Credit: Michael Schofield 3 Scottish Tory chairman Craig Hoy said the SNP are recycling the Salmond-era strategy Credit: Getty 3 Salmond's focus was on tapping into non-SNP supporters by governing well Credit: Andrew Barr He said a re-run of 2014 would only take place once there was “compelling and demonstrable evidence of the support in place for independence”.
And senior aides later said Mr Swinney’s approach would be a “parallel” to the strategy used during Mr Salmond’s first stint as First Minister between 2007 to 2011 — where the focus was on tapping into non-SNP supporters by governing well. Scots would rather the SNP ditched their self-serving obsession for good and focused on the issues that really matter, like fixing our crumbling public services and creating good jobs. Craig Hoy Scottish Tory party chairman A source said: “We need to reach out to all voters, something we did in the run up to 2011, and convince people of the benefits of independence in a way we haven’t done since 2014.
” Critics blasted the return to “Salmond-era” tactics and called on the Nats to stop searching for the “best ruse”. READ MORE SCOTTISH POLITICS INDY IN TEN Scotland WILL be independent in my lifetime, insists ex-FM Alex Salmond TEENDYREF Youngest ever voters on whether they'd pick the same way 10 years after IndyRef Scottish Tory party chairman Craig Hoy said: “After recycling John Swinney as their leader, the SNP now appear to be recycling their old Salmond-era independence strategy too. “Scots would rather the SNP ditched their self-serving obsession for good and focused on the issues that really matter, like fixing our crumbling public services and creating good jobs .
” But the SNP leader indicated the party would ditch Nicola Sturgeon’s approach of urging voters to back the Nats to deliver an independence referendum through majorities or overwhelming election victories. Instead, he suggested independence would only be won once there was sustained, majority support for it. Most read in The Scottish Sun CARRIAGEWAY SMASH Dramatic pic shows aftermath of lorry & motorhome crash on Scots road DEAL ME IN Rangers' bumper new kit sponsorship deal is most lucrative in club's history NICE TOUCH First look at poignant Fernando Ricksen tribute jersey as Gers legends model kit GONE TOO SOON Tragedy as DJ who featured on BBC & worked with legend dies from rare cancer Senior sources later refused to put a figure on what the tipping point for this would be, but pointed at the level of support for devolution found in the 1990s.
They also suggested ex-Tory Scotland Secretary Alister Jack’s “duck test” comment was a fair representation of the new strategy. Alex Salmond insists Scottish Independence will happen within 10 years In 2022 in Westminster , Mr Jack said: “If it looks like a duck and it sounds like a duck and it waddles like a duck then it’s probably a duck. People know when they’ve reached that point.
” Mr Swinney also called on independence supporters to get out on the doorstep and push the case again. And he insisted the way to boost Yes support would be to tie independence in to day-to-day struggles around the cost-of-living, NHS and schools . He also insisted the 2014 vote had delivered positive change for Scotland, despite No winning.
Constitutional change delivers real change. That’s Scotland’s legacy in the last ten years. John Swinney First Minister The SNP leader claimed the loss delivered new powers for Holyrood, allowing the Nats to bring in policies like the Scottish Child Payment.
He told pro-indy audience members: “Constitutional change delivers real change. That’s Scotland’s legacy in the last ten years.” Read more on the Scottish Sun 'TOTAL CHAOS' Scots beauty spot CLOSED two days in a row as campervans gridlock narrow road DEAL ME IN Rangers' bumper new kit sponsorship deal is most lucrative in club's history And Mr Swinney claimed Labour had “demolished” the idea that voting out the Tories was the solution to the constitutional question.
He said: “We now have an incredibly damaging Westminster Labour Government . There is a pattern here. The problem for Scotland is government from Westminster.
”.
