SNP rethink on independence

THE SNP is preparing to shelve its commitment to independence for at least four years after the Holyrood election, Scotland on Sunday can reveal.

The rethink was revealed by the party's leading donor Sir Tom Farmer, who has given the party £100,000 to fight the upcoming election.

In an exclusive interview, Sir Tom said that if SNP leader Alex Salmond won in May, the Nationalists would "park" all plans for separation until it had proved its ability to govern. His claim was confirmed last night by several senior SNP figures.

In comments which diverge from the party's official line, Farmer predicted a referendum on independence could be delayed to well beyond the next Holyrood election in 2011.

It seems almost certain no single party will have an outright majority following May's poll. Farmer's comments have triggered renewed speculation that Salmond will ditch the current policy of an independence referendum as the price for becoming First Minister in a coalition government.

The Lib Dems - whose support the SNP will almost certainly need to form a government - have said they would refuse to support any such referendum, effectively ruling out a coalition between the two.

But SNP insiders last night suggested Salmond could hold back on the referendum, suggesting that a pact which would propel Salmond into Bute House for a four-year term is on.

Farmer told Scotland on Sunday: "We all know that the SNP is for independence. If they decide that they want to hold a referendum then they are not going to have the referendum before they have managed to prove that they can make some drastic changes. That could be longer than four years."

He added: "The important thing is who is going to run the country for the next four years. If they do a very good job, of course, they will be returned for another four years and then people will be getting to take a view on many things."

He added: "I think that we have got carried away with the whole thing about one party considering independence and the negative side of independence - as if it was going to happen overnight. No matter what happens, it would be a long, long time coming off."

He went on: "I think without doubt if you vote for the SNP you are showing that you have a strong feeling that you consider living in an independent environment. But I think also people should be under no illusions that it won't happen within the next five years."

One well-placed SNP source said: "Tom Farmer is absolutely right on this. We have got to prove ourselves to the electorate before we go for a referendum."

The source added: "What we have got to do is show people that we are competent and then move matters forward through getting more powers at the Parliament and then at a later junction saying: OK, let's now look at going that little bit more."

According to the source, the SNP leadership would not find sustained opposition from their 'fundamentalist' wing, who are traditionally opposed to any watering down of the party's commitments.

The source added: "The membership of the SNP want to win. The rank and file is much less radical than is thought."

Another well-placed insider not close to Salmond added: "The troops want to be told by Alex what to do and if he says they couldn't get a referendum as part of a deal then they will accept that."

SNP sources also point out that the party is set to undergo a major transformation after May's election when dozens of activists are likely to be elected councillors following changes to the electoral system.

They point out that is likely to dampen the 'fundamentalist' wing of the party, which would be opposed to any delay in the independence commitment. "Instead of thinking about utopia, they will be thinking about the state of the local park," said one.

Meanwhile, in his Scotland on Sunday interview, Farmer said he had been dismayed by what he called the "negative" campaign tactics of the Labour party. Labour is expected to step up its attacks on independence this week, insisting that a vote for the SNP is a vote to split up the UK with immediate effect.

He also hit back at claims that Scotland would be unable to afford to pay its own way. "I don't accept the idea that we won't be able to afford things on our own. That is negative politics," he said. "People keep saying that national companies will leave [if Scotland became independent]. Why? What attracts companies is people and the ability of people to have a can-do attitude."

He added: "Why should it be the case that the Royal Bank of Scotland and Scottish Widows and Scottish and Newcastle and the John Wood group are all going to leave? That isn't correct. What we would have is some excitement in the country. I don't accept the idea that we won't be able to afford things on our own."

Farmer said he believed that rather than being about independence, the current election campaign should be about issues such as education, health, employment and security.

He went on: "We've had eight years of devolution. I think most people didn't think it would be like this. We anticipated that there would be drastic changes, that the government would be lean and mean.

"There have been some improvements and there have been some changes but that happens every generation. I don't think that what we have got is what people expected."

An SNP spokesman said: "Sir Tom is absolutely right that the SNP do need to prove ourselves in government and that is exactly what we will do and we will be setting out some of our specific policy proposals at our conference next week.

"The position is clear that this is compatible with holding a referendum on independence within the four-year term."