NICOLA Sturgeon does calm defiance very well.

Tuesday’s statement on the future of the second independence referendum had to tread a very fine line – showing that the SNP acknowledged the rebuke sent by the electorate without dumping the mechanism that might yet become Scotland’s lifeboat amidst the stormy waters of Brexit.

Opposition MSPs at Holyrood and the press struggled to decide if they were witnessing a shameful and humiliating climb-down or a shameful and cavalier intention to press ahead -- or both. In the event, there wasn’t a lot of shame about – to the annoyance of single-issue opposition leaders who have thumped on about nothing but ScotRef’s timing since it was first mooted last year.

The Holyrood scrum was expecting a major act of contrition – a “Taking Independence Off the Table” ceremony with the ceremonial bowing and scrapping Westminster does so well.

That didn’t happen. Nicola Sturgeon did not eat her words or abandon her belief that more Scots will want a way out of the Union over these next trying years. Instead she spoke a lot of common sense, acknowledged the fear, worry and anxiety all around right now and pledged not to add to it with even preparations for another independence referendum.

In effect she cheekily adapted Theresa May’s patronising response to her earlier request for Section 30 powers – “now is not quite the time.” Of course now never was the time for actually holding ScotRef, but the mere mention of a future date allowed the Tories to confuse the issue and scaremonger. It’s what they do best.

Mind you, I do wonder if naming actual dates wasn’t a bit of a hostage to fortune. After all, Brexit is an awfy messy and fluid process and even though the EU has a strict two-year timetable, hardly anyone on Theresa May’s side is talking dates or deadlines. Vague and woolly is the order of the day, and that’s meant ScotRef – timed to coincide with a probable Commons vote – sounds more immediate than the Brexit deal it was designed to test. When all around are naming no dates (lest the prospect of constipated government, organisational chaos and lost jobs frightens voters) it might be a mistake to be too specific.

Of course the formal process must be cranked up ahead of time to have scotref legislation in place. So by all means stick it in the First Minister’s diary, but why name a specific date and run the slight risk that the Tories, Labour, Lib Dems and the media will keep banging their favourite “SNP obsession” drum?

Of course, Nicola Sturgeon had to placate the Scottish Greens and those who want another referendum tomorrow. But there’s nothing wrong with a little ambiguity when the entire world is in a state of flux.

The instinct of the SNP has always been to name dates (Free by 93), create alternative scenarios and insist that Scotland must have its place on the British and world stage. That’s generally fine. It keeps the Scottish Government on the front foot and encourages Scots to think of ourselves as actors and active citizens not passive, done-to subjects. But when the British Government is about to make a series of monumental blunders, it probably pays to quit the stage and let them hog the limelight awhile.

This small detail apart though, the First Minister’s “reset” plan works for me. It takes the SNP off the stage for a year at least, creates a long overdue focus on the goal of independence rather than the tactic of a referendum, and gives Theresa May plenty of room to tie herself in Brexit knots before an undistracted and increasingly sceptical public.

But in truth, Tuesday’s statement wasn’t really aimed at Holyrood’s politicians, Scotland’s press or Theresa May.

Let’s face it, the Prime Minister didn’t pay the blindest bit of attention to the SNP when it held almost every seat in Scotland. Westminster doesn’t divvy up power according to vote share or seats won -- it’s an inherently unstable, unfair, winner takes all system in which only one dictum operates. Might is Right. And as a small party you only sniff power if – like the DUP – you are willing to sup with the devil and keep the Tories in power.

No there were two other audiences for that speech -- the general public and the wider independence movement. And with that latter emphasis, Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP leadership may have crossed an important Rubicon.

The First Minister said; “My party will engage openly and inclusively with, and work as part of, the wider independence movement. We will seek to support, engage and grow the movement, and build the case that having decisions made by us – not for us – offers the best future for Scotland.”

Grand.

It was great to hear Nicola say her party will engage with the wider independence movement – effectively acknowledging one exists beyond the organisational reach of the SNP. Sometimes, SNP words and slogans have implied they’re not just a political party but a movement too. But despite their massive size, that could never be true.

The enduring Yes movement is about far more than size – it’s about vision, ideas, empowerment and informal, local, cooperative ways of working. A party is occasionally about these things but must first and foremost win elections. These clearly matter to everyone – without an SNP/Green working majority at Holyrood the next independence referendum will never happen. But the indy movement doesn’t have to be completely deflected by the energy-sapping hurdles, the slogans, messages and party chauvinism which inevitably accompany encounters with the ballot box Equally, as a party of government for 10 years at Holyrood, the SNP must also put issues other than independence first sometimes.

The independence movement, on the other hand, can stay on the case 24/7, arguing for independence when it doesn’t suit the SNP to bang the drum.

Of course, in case it needs saying again, the movement wouldn’t be where it is without half a century of single minded party-political focus by SNP members and more recently the Greens, Socialists and RISE.

But will the SNP alone get independence over the line? It seems party leaders have finally realised what many rank and file members have known for a while – the party cannot fight on every front at once.

In many ways party politics is like a dressage event that focuses on detail, precision, show, small movements and well-turned out, totally controlled horse and rider teams. But the drive towards independence is more like a steeplechase; freer and longer demanding more energy and benefiting from more riders.

The SNP and the wider independence movement need each other now – just as we did in 2014 when the verve, confidence, energy, buzz and enthusiasm came from both local groups and politicians. We need horses for courses.

So if the “reset” prompts the SNP to have a “bold and radical rethink” of domestic policy, to widen the context for independence beyond Brexit, to focus on independence as a goal, rather than #ScotRef as a process and to seek cooperation with the long-standing umbrella group that represents all pro independence parties and groups – then that’s a big result.

And the Scottish Independence Convention is absolutely ready and willing to spend the summer putting all our heids together.