Ewing doubt over independence rocks SNP

Deep divisions emerged in the Scottish National Party yesterday after Margaret Ewing, the nationalists' parliamentary leader, questioned whether Scotland would ever win independence.

In a BBC interview, Mrs Ewing admitted she "had no idea" whether Scotland would achieve sovereignty during her lifetime. She hinted that the SNP had lost the constitutional argument and faced defeat at the next general election. The "big bang" of independence might never come, she argued.

Her remarks provoked fury among activists at the party's annual conference in Perth. They accused her of "playing a losing game and clinging on to mother England".

She was also criticised by the party's newest MP, Roseanna Cunningham, who won the Perth and Kinross by-election in May, who dismissed her remarks as pointless.

In the interview, Mrs Ewing, an SNP veteran, defended the nationalists' plan to use Labour's proposed Scottish parliament as a "stepping stone" to independence.She challenged fundamentalists in the party, who argue that the SNP should oppose devolution. "What's the alternative?" she asked. "Are we just going to wait for the 'big bang' in another 40 or 50 years?" Asked whether she believed that independence would come in 40 to 50 years, she replied: "I have no idea."

Mrs Ewing went on to say that she would stand for election to a Scottish assembly if Labour won the next general election.

Although Mrs Ewing later tried to play down her remarks, insisting that, at 30 per cent in the polls, the SNP would "do it", hardline delegates accused her of defeatism.

Jim Mitchell, an SNP councillor from Renfrew, said: "Independence will certainly take 50 years if members of the leadership like Margaret go on talking in this way.

"By opting to support Labour's plans for a toy-town parliament instead of getting out there and campaigning hard for independence, she is condemning Scotland to subjugation, rather than liberation. She is clinging on to mother England."

Miss Cunningham added: "There's no point in getting into discussions about how long it will take. Independence is going to come when the Scottish people vote for it. That could be tomorrow."

Today, Alex Salmond, the SNP leader, will deliver his keynote speech to conference delegates.

For the first time, his address will be screened live on television throughout the rest of Britain.