How miserable SNP conference shows nationalists have become pub bores of Scottish politics

This past week at their party conference, the SNP continued its transformation into the pub bore of Scottish politics – self-absorbed and stuck fighting the battles of the past.

I had intended this to be a light-hearted mockery of the parlous state of the SNP after the general election. In truth, I am almost starting to be worried on their behalf. There is something disconcerting about watching a party that has been completely shellacked at the polls turning around and acting as though nothing has happened.

Rage, sorry and denial

On paper, of course, SNP speakers from John Swinney down talked about humility and refocusing on the priorities of the Scottish people. In practice, the nationalists went back to their political comfort blanket.

Westminster is the source of all evil and independence is the cure to all ailments. No matter that voters decisively rejected their “page one, line one” approach to independence not two months ago – clearly what is needed is more talk about independence.

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Amongst the senior members and ministers on show, you could see plenty of preening and positioning, but precious little personal accountability. The few SNP footsoldiers who turned up ran the gamut from rage to sorrow, denial to depression, having “gone over the top” and faced the enemy time after time so that General Sturgeon could move her campervan six inches closer to Indyref2.

Political ground has shifted

Still, they gamely fought the old wars and played the old hits. Nothing is our fault; Labour are really Tories; democracy is being denied. The battle cries may have played well to the dwindling recruits in the room but it sounded like delusion to the rest of us.

The SNP relied for so long on the familiar territory of Yes and No. For as long as politics was about identity and the nationalist dividing line, they could win easy victories with lazy answers and massed numbers. Now the political ground has shifted and the old answers no longer work. The SNP are not equipped for this new battlefield – and yet all evidence is that they will continue to use the same tired tactics.

I have even heard whispers that the First Minister could call an early Holyrood election in the hope of catching Labour off-guard. I suspect that is unlikely – there are far too many ministers feart of losing their carriages and far too few safe seats to go around for the Stephen Flynns and former MPs who are circling – but it speaks to the delusion of the party if they believe that yet another headlong charge will be a winning strategy.

One defeat was clearly not enough to wake the SNP up – but sooner or later they are going to have to face reality. A party that is stuck fighting the battles of the past is not one equipped to lead Scotland into the future.

Alistair Carmichael is the Scottish Liberal Democrat MP for Orkney and Shetland