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Alba MP Kenny MacAskill said issues including currency and Scotland’s future relationship with the EU have not been addressed by the party since 2014. The policies were last fully outlined in the 2013 white paper on an independent Scotland ahead of the 2014 vote and SNP’s 2016 Sustainable Growth Commission report.
The party said Scotland would use the pound sterling as a “temporary step before a Scottish currency is created” whilst a breakaway Scotland would join the EU gradually.
But, the lack of details has been criticised by Unionists and SNP chiefs refused to discuss policies further in the run-up to the 2021 Holyrood elections.
The former Scottish Justice Secretary, Mr MacAskill, added: “We haven’t answered the key questions since 2014 – what is our currency, how do we deal with the European Union now that we are out of it, how do we have a relationship with the rest of the UK.
“Those questions are central to winning a referendum, they haven’t been done, they won’t be done by the SNP.”
Mr MacAskill, who stressed independence is what Scotland “must seek”, also said the independence campaign by the SNP had to change.
Speaking on the Through a Scottish Prism Podcast, the East Lothian MP suggested the SNP use the Scottish Parliament as a “platform” to bring forward a second referendum and devote more time for debates.
Currently, Mr MacAskill claimed there was only an occasional exchange of words on the matter between Holyrood politicians during the weekly session of First Minister’s Questions which involved pro-independence MSPs demanding a Section 30 order from Westminster.
A vote for a second independence referendum could occur by asking Westminster for a Section 30 order, which temporarily hands Holyrood the power to call such a vote.
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He added of the failure: “We are going to pay a heavy price for it in terms of what is coming down the line in terms of austerity and actions by Westminster.”
The SNP refused to be drawn on Mr MacAskill’s comments.
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