Pro-indy blogger's plans for party to take on SNP

Stuart Campbell's proposed party could potentially split the independence vote

A pro-independence blogger has said he is considering plans to create a political party to contest the next Scottish Parliament elections.

Stuart Campbell, of the Wings Over Scotland site, told The Times that he had discussed the idea with a number of potential candidates.

Mr Campbell said that the party would exploit "unrest" in the Yes movement.

The SNP said it would "continue to set out a positive vision for Scotland's future as an independent nation".

'Shambles'

The move could potentially split the independence vote at the next Holyrood elections in 2021.

Mr Campbell, who is Scotland's best-known political blogger, said the new party could be set up "if it looked like there wasn't going to be a pro-independence majority".

He told The Times: "I think the SNP is a shambles at the moment. It doesn't know what it's doing.

"It's conceivable that a Wings party might be able to pick up list seats that the pro-indy side otherwise might not."

Mr Cambell said the party would exploit "unrest" in the Yes movement

An SNP spokesman said a Wings party elected to Holyrood in 2021 would not help to promote independence because Ms Sturgeon plans to hold indyref2 before then.

He said: "The Scottish government has a cast-iron mandate for holding an independence referendum before the 2021 election and the first minister has made clear that she believes this should take place in the second half of next year.

"The SNP will continue to set out a positive vision for Scotland's future as an independent nation."

Fair comment

Last month, Mr Campbell lost his defamation case against former Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale.

He sued Ms Dugdale after she claimed he had sent "homophobic tweets".

A sheriff ruled in April that Ms Dugdale's Daily Record article was fair comment despite being incorrect.

The court awarded full expenses to Ms Dugdale, plus a 50% "uplift".

Writing on his blog, Mr Campbell claimed the ruling was "incomprehensible" and said he expected the final bill to be "in the rough vicinity of £100,000".