A Fife SNP activist is considering a leadership challenge against Humza Yousaf with a pledge to hold the first minister’s “feet to the fire” over independence.
Campaigner Chris Hanlon is seeking nominations to oust the SNP chief due to a lack of progress on independence.
Mr Hanlon, who is the party’s secretary in the West Fife and Coastal Villages branch, wants members to be given a bigger say on policy.
It’s another clear sign of frustration among some grassroots supporters fed up with strategy from central office.
In June, First Minister Mr Yousaf announced his party would focus solely on independence at the next UK election.
But it’s not clear how the SNP leader’s strategy will help him come any closer to formally ending the union.
*Petition for SNP Members*#MembersMakePolicy
The job of Party Leader is to implement party policy, all of party policy, and nothing but party policy.
Party Policy is decided by Conference.
If, like me, you are concerned that leadership spends too much time pontificating… pic.twitter.com/4YJNEDfjNn
— Chris Hanlon SNP (@SovereignWill) July 23, 2023
If Mr Hanlon is able to reach 100 nominations from 20 different branches of the party, he could force Mr Yousaf into a leadership challenge.
That’s despite the SNP leader being in the job for less than four months since he won the contest to succeed Nicola Sturgeon.
Mr Hanlon claimed: “The job of party leader is to implement party policy, all of party policy, and nothing but party policy.
“If, like me, you are concerned that leadership spends too much time pontificating about what they claim party policy is, I’d like to hear from you.
“I haven’t made any decisions but if you feel, as I do, that feet need to be held to the fire, please comment below.
“HumzaYousaf promised to listen, I think we should make it clear that his position is conditional on living up to that promise.”
In 2020, Mr Hanlon achieved a major upset when he was elected onto the SNP’s National Executive Committee ahead of Stirling MP Alyn Smith.
Party insiders claimed his victory was a sign that independence supporters were growing impatient with the cautious approach to a fresh referendum.
Mr Hanlon is active in the same branch as former SNP treasurer and outgoing MP Douglas Chapman, who plans to stand down at the next election.
Before announcing plans to step down, Mr Chapman was at the centre of claims he would face a battle to hold onto his seat.
An SNP source said: “Every member has a right to put themselves forward for party positions – no matter the odds of prevailing.”
