Scottish independence is 'not inevitable' says Douglas Ross

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Phil Boswell, who served as MP for Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill claimed Nat and independence supporters needed to “rebel” to get their voice heard in their campaign for separation. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said a second vote would take place before the end of 2023 subject to the state of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

However, the party has come under fire from members over its lack of action to promote independence after Prime Minister Boris Johnson ruled out holding a second referendum.

Mr Boswell said: “Since we’ve had an independence-seeking leader at the Scottish Government and the Scottish Parliament, then we’ve been snubbed.

“We’ve got to ask ourselves the question – why are we not rebelling, why are we not in the streets shouting like we were when the Act of Union was implemented by the chosen few for the few.”

The former MP used Ms Sturgeon’s lack of involvement at the COP26 summit to demonstrate the lack of action the SNP are taking in pushing forward a second vote, saying: “Our duly elected representative isn’t even getting the job as a car park attendant.

“We’re being shown to be the region and the cap doffers that they see us as because we didn’t have the gumption in 2014 to say ‘No, we want to go our own way’.

“We don’t have representatives who are willing to embrace the gritty, rambunctious approach that is required for this.”

The Nat politician made clear the SNP was not “going to get handed this [independence]” stressing ministers needed to “fight” and “look for different ways” [to achieve separation].

Speaking on the “Through a Scottish Prism” podcast, he continued: “When things are deteriorating to the state they are in our own country, our country, not a region, it’s time we mobilized.”

He concluded by saying SNP representatives needed to be accountable “for the sovereignty of the people” and “act like it”. 

Mr Boswell came under fire in 2015 when he took advantage of a complicated scheme to reduce the amount of income tax he pays.

This was despite railing against the Treasury for failing to tackle high earners over similar arrangements.

In 2015, Mr Boswell benefited from an £18,309 interest-free loan from Hyrax Resourcing relating to his previous job in the oil and gas industry.

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Hyrax is linked to another company, Peak Performance Professional Contracts, which has been involved in legal tax avoidance schemes in the past.

The SNP defended Mr Boswell at the time and said he always made declarations on his register of interests in line with Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority [IPSA] guidelines.

The MP was turfed out by voters in Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill in favour of Labour’s Hugh Gaffney during the 2017 general election after being voted in 2015. 

An SNP source said: “The SNP received the biggest number of votes ever during a Scottish Parliament election and returned the largest ever number of independence supporting MSPs.

“This delivers a clear message that the people of Scotland want their future in their hands and we are committed to that promise.” 

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