It’s finally here. The SNP independence convention has been in the works for quite some time – it was initially supposed to be Nicola Sturgeon’s de facto referendum conference – so you’d think that its execution would be slick, its planning well organised. Think again. It will come of no surprise to readers, Mr S is sure, that there is little about this conference that has been ‘slick’ or ‘well organised’. The decision to keep Indyref superfans waiting outside until the (very late) start meant that anti-separatist protestors had time to set up shop on the steps of Dundee’s Caird Hall. A suitably Scottish brawl broke out between those from ‘ultra unionist’ group A Force for Good while SNP loyalists retorted with chants of ‘Flower of Scotland’. How very civilised…
Once inside, the audience composed itself, conserving its energy to fangirl Humza Yousaf’s Big Independence Announcement (the de facto referendum that’s absolutely not a de facto referendum). So they were enraged when the address of their supreme leader was rather rudely interrupted by a woman screaming from the sidelines.
But this wasn’t just any protestor. She was believed to be one of the victims of disgraced neurosurgeon Professor Eljamel who is thought to have ruined the lives of many Dundee patients. Furious at the SNP’s handling of the inquiry into the disgraced doctor after Yousaf said last week that he does not back a full probe into the medic, the woman told the conference she was quitting her 30-year membership of the party, crying: ‘I can’t live like this anymore!’
His bemusement turning to compassion, Yousaf leapt off the stage to console his heckler. Promising he’d speak with her afterwards, the First Minister helped calm the protestor down before she was led out by staff. While some have criticised the FM’s performance as being a ‘publicity stunt’, his reaction went down well with the masses. Returning to the stage with a standing ovation, Humza reassured his faithful flock that ‘we enjoy the success we do, because we care for each and every single person in Scotland’. It might be the first competent thing our Humza’s done…
A beaming First Minister clearly thought he had dealt with the interruption well – but the optics are rather worse than he thinks. When SNP loyalists are boycotting their own independence conference to scream at their party leader, it’s hard not to conclude the party’s in dire straits…
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