In the Summer, the SNP, according to Sturgeon are going to have some sort of "conversation" about Independence. Not a second referendum. Not even a precursor to a second referendum. A conversation !!!!!!! Who with ?? apparently strategists advise engaing the no voters. how elese can they move the yes% forwards...but to do this against a £15billion deficit this year and a larger one next year, when 55% voted no when oil was $110 a barrel and a mjor economic contributor.....nah an impossibility.

This was a pre election conference and there is an immediate prize for the SNP and that is retaining office while giving the Labour Party another kicking on the way. Not a small prize. Indeed, if you are now a Minister, or an MSP, or a paid constituency worker, or a wannabee or any one of these, a very important prize indeed.

But at some point somebody is going to ask, and theyre now grumbling....... "Whatever happened to Independence?" Just as, last Summer the Labour Party, in the context of the three terms of Blair landslides nonetheless asked "Whatever happened to socialism?"

The problem is, that what is popular with Party activists of any Party, is seldom what is popular with the general public.

At some point even the currently unimpeachable Sturgeon will have to face her activists honestly, tell them that Independence is off the agenda because there is no way Scotland would be daft enough to vote for it. By her own figures she wont progress until she knows she has 60% of population in favour and not a single poll since 2014 has come any where near that...... ever. That is the "particularly" that referred to above. From start to finish, 2011-14 there was only one poll that put them ahead and then they lost decisively by 10%. Since then, any examination of the detaisl indicates that even the prospectus that got them to 45% was a hopelessly optimistic one. Then, if she survives that different diffuclt "conversation", she'll have to tell the rest of us why she should remain in office,nonetheless, ie the non indy / indy party. At that juncture politics then returns to normal. left centre right, as the nationalist indy agenda will be marginalised for ever.