Humza Yousaf discusses his hopes for Scottish independence

       The SNP has been accused of pursuing a "crackpot alternative" to a second independence referendum.

       Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf and the SNP's Westminster leader Stephen Flynn are calling for talks on leaving the UK to start if the nationalist party wins a majority of Scottish seats at the next general election, expected in 2024.

       They have tabled a motion in support of the plan to be debated by members at the SNP's conference in Aberdeen next month.

       It makes clear that as the UK Government has continued to "unjustly block a democratic referendum" the next Westminster general election could be a "means to offer that opportunity".

       The SNP manifesto for that election should "state on page one, line one" that a vote for the party is a vote for "Scotland to become an independent country".

       Humza Yousaf's plans have been branded 'more extreme' than predecessor Nicola Sturgoen's (Image: PA)

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       The motion adds that "if the SNP subsequently wins the most seats at the General Election in Scotland, the Scottish Government is empowered to begin immediate negotiations with the UK Government to give democratic effect to Scotland becoming an independent country".

       It comes after successive Conservative prime ministers have rejected calls from the Scottish Government for another vote on breaking up the UK.

       Meanwhile, the UK Supreme Court ruled that the Scottish Parliament does not have the power to organise its own ballot on the issue.

       But Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said: "It seems like Humza Yousaf and Stephen Flynn have lost the plot.

       SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn has put forward the motion with Mr Yousaf (Image: PA)

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       "They had a gold standard referendum and lost it but now they want to invent a crackpot alternative that allows them to lose a bunch of seats but still break up the UK with a fraction of the vote."

       Scottish Conservative shadow constitution secretary Donald Cameron added: “Humza Yousaf has made it crystal clear. He’s hellbent on pushing forward an even more extreme version of Nicola Sturgeon’s deeply unpopular de facto referendum plan.

       “People vote on a whole host of issues at general elections, rather than just on what Humza Yousaf wants them to.

       “The self-styled first activist is continuing to prioritise his independence obsession over every other issue, which is a dereliction of duty during these challenging times."

       Former SNP leader and Scottish first minister Alex Salmond, who now heads up the rival pro-independence Alba Party, added that "no one seriously believes that proposing a majority of seats as an independence mandate is at all credible".

       Mr Yousaf, who took over from Nicola Sturgeon in March, made clear at a special SNP convention on independence earlier this year that winning a majority of Scottish seats in the next general election is his preferred route to breaking up the union.

       An SNP spokesperson said: "Humza Yousaf outlined a general election strategy for the SNP at the party's convention on independence in June. The core of that strategy was to ensure that the SNP contests the next UK general election on the issue of independence."

       The spokesperson said this had been discussed by SNP members at eight regional assemblies over the summer, with the motion "drafted to reflect the feedback from that democratic process, and respect the views of members from across the country".

       The spokesperson added: "The resolution from Humza Yousaf and Stephen Flynn has now been published, and is open to amendment before it is debated at annual conference in October."

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