Fiona Bruce shatters Humza Yousaf's independence dream

       The SNP’s push for Scottish independence was destroyed during BBC Question Time as ministers were grilled over their strategy to achieve it.

       MSP Angela Constance, the devolved Scottish government’s Secretary for Justice, insisted the current UK model was “crippling” Scotland. However, she had to be repeatedly pushed by host Fiona Bruce to explain what their strategy was in response to an audience question which asked if independence was merely a “pipe dream”.

       Ms Bruce asked: “What is the strategy now, other than campaigning for it and trying to persuade people of it, what is the strategy to actually achieve it?”

       Ms Constance pointed to what she claimed was “high support” for the SNP. But the BBC host quickly retorted that according to Humza Yousaf’s plan, she would have to convince UK MPs - and so far, Ms Bruce said: “It hasn’t worked!”

       READ MORE Yousaf's 'catastrophic' tax plan will force doctors to leave Scotland, MP claims

       The MSP then responded: “The question for the unionist parties is, will they respect democracy in this country, will they respect the right of the people of Scotland to determine their own future, or are they going to continue to be democracy deniers?”

       Political strategist Stephen Noon - who advised Alex Salmond during the independence referendum campaign - even suggested that independence may not come for another two decades.

       He said he wanted the SNP to take their time and ensure that were Scotland to leave the UK it would be on good terms - and could take over 20 years.

       He said: "We have to take a slightly more slowly than the SNP has been arguing for publicly." He added: "I believe passionately in the independence but I want us to become independent in the best possible way."

       Ms Constance insisted that independence from the UK was best for Scotland's economy (Image: BBC)

       Ms Constance insisted that “independence is the only choice that will secure the economic future of this country”, and added it would be the “only possible route back into the EU.”

       However, this opened up another can of worms for those supporting Scottish independence. One member of the audience questioned whether independent Scotland joining the EU would even be a good thing for the country.

       The audience member said: “How independent would Scotland be if we’ve got the Germans and the French telling us what to do when we get this independence?”

       Host Fiona Bruce interjected to clarify if the man was discussing a future in which Scotland was back in the EU, to which he replied: “If we got independence and we rejoined the EU then what independence do we have?"

       Ms Bruce gave Ms Constance a ruthless grilling over her plan to achieve independence (Image: BBC)

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       “At least with the UK Government we have influence, we have MPs there. We can do something with it.

       “We will have no say, we will be a nation of five million people at the very end of Europe that no one or very few will listen to in Brussels.”

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       Ms Constance’s performance on the show earned negative reactions from many watching, who took to social media to suggest it would be advisable for the SNP to keep her off the key event in future.

       One said: "I don't think the SNP will be letting Angela Constance appear anywhere near #bbcqt again." Another wrote: "I'm sure I can hear SNP supporting friends screaming for Angela Constance to stop talking."

       Elsewhere during the show, the audience erupted into applause when a former SNP voter said she was “glad” the last independence referendum had resulted in Scotland staying in the UK.

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