This article appears as part of the Unspun: Scottish Politics newsletter.

It’s all becoming a wee bit sad lately. John Swinney starts talking about independence and nobody cares.

Independence is supposed to be the SNP’s flagship policy, the biggest topic of debate in Scotland – if you believe the nationalist faithful, of course. But when the First Minister opens his mouth on the constitution, most voters tune out.

Swinney is the inversion of The Great Gatsby. He keeps throwing independence parties but nobody turns up. He’s alone in the ballroom waiting for guests who will never arrive.

Swinney has just unveiled his “new plan for independence”. In truth, it’s a nothing-burger, a big fat load of zilch.

There’s basically no difference – nothing new – to what he said about independence a month ago at the Scotland 2050 summit. That too was the dampest of damp squibs. A squib so damp you’d shudder if you shook its hand.

In fact, Swinney isn’t just repeating himself; he’s repeating himself saying nothing. There’s an existential horror to that: Swinney must wake up and feel like crying at the thought of having to spew out the same empty rhetoric over and over again.

Let’s check this plan out. It has “three points”, apparently. First, there will be a “campaign designed to build the highest levels of support possible for independence”.

Isn’t that the SNP’s........

© Herald Scotland