When Nicola Sturgeon stepped down as First Minister of Scotland a year ago, she said she’d reached the conclusion that she could no further advance the cause of independence. It was time for a new leader with new ideas to energise the campaign to break up the United Kingdom.

Responsibility for invigorating the separatist movement fell to Humza Yousaf, voted in as First Minister on 29 March last year with the promise that he’d take the nationalist cause forwards. If Sturgeon had become too divisive, Yousaf would encourage Unionist voters to think again about the benefits of independence.

Any politician looking to the new poll for a policy blueprint will be disappointed

Twelve months on, it is safe to say that Yousaf hasn’t even come close to achieving that objective.

A recent poll shows that, while a majority of voters remain pro-devolution, more than half think the Scottish parliament has served them well.

The survey – carried out by the Diffley Partnership for the Holyrood Sources podcast – suggests SNP politicians should concentrate on making devolution work before demanding further constitutional upheaval.

While 56 per cent of those surveyed said devolution had been positive and 43 per cent so closely identified with the project that they said it made them more proud to be Scottish, just 40 per cent felt Holyrood had served them well, while only 37 per cent believed their local MSP served their area well.

The survey also found that just a fifth of voters (the same proportion as supports the abolition of Holyrood) are happy with the current devolution settlement.

Support for independence, regularly at almost 50 per cent, drops to just 38 per cent when the option of a more powerful Scottish Parliament is offered.

For Holyrood Sources co-host, Andy Maciver – a former spinner for the Scottish Tories – this finding should guide the main Unionist parties.

QOSHE - Humza Yousaf’s first year has been a disaster - Euan Mccolm
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Humza Yousaf’s first year has been a disaster

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27.03.2024

When Nicola Sturgeon stepped down as First Minister of Scotland a year ago, she said she’d reached the conclusion that she could no further advance the cause of independence. It was time for a new leader with new ideas to energise the campaign to break up the United Kingdom.

Responsibility for invigorating the separatist movement fell to Humza Yousaf, voted in as First Minister on 29 March last year with the promise that he’d take the nationalist cause forwards. If........

© The Spectator


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