A FORMER leader of the SNP has called on Nicola Sturgeon to resist calls for an early second referendum on independence until the time is right.
Gordon Wilson, who led the party from 1979 to 1990, said the First Minister should “by all means keep the option open”, but defy any calls for a “fixed time commitment”.
Wilson, now director of the think tank Options for Scotland, said: “The time is not yet ripe. Support for independence is falling, indeed sunk to 43 per cent while support for the SNP itself is rising.
“Patience is required. It would be a strategic error to commit to a referendum until you know you are going to win.
“It will take a lot of character to resist the calls from enthusiastic but inexperienced new members or even those experienced hands who raise the matter prematurely.
“That is the mark of a political leader.”
Wilson agreed with Alex Salmond’s remark that another referendum was inevitable.
However, he added: “What is not inevitable is a Yes vote, never mind independence itself.”
He said there was much work to be done, and the SNP could do that by adopting a medium-term strategy.
Wilson added that a lot of work had to be done aside from any referendum, with the party focusing on next year’s Scottish Parliament election.
“Serious research on currency, pensions and economic growth – all significantly missing from last year’s effort – is necessary,” he said.
“The party has to commission research on currency – whether Scotland should keep the pound or do its own thing.
“The pro-Union camp frightened a lot of people during last year’s campaign suggesting their pensions would be at risk if we were independent, so proper research has to be done on pensions. We must then move to the next stage of persuasion – we have to convince the Scottish people that independence is essential.
“Then, when support for independence is running above 55 per cent for a significant period will be the time to commit.”
Until then, he said, the issue should be put on the back burner.
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