Humza Yousaf has admitted the independence cause will move “backwards” if the SNP loses seats at this year’s general election – but he insisted that will not stop the debate.

The SNP leader and Scottish First Minister was addressing comments made by his own senior MP Tommy Sheppard, who said independence will be hindered if the party fails to retain the majority of seats in Scotland.

Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland programme on Friday, Mr Yousaf said the SNP will push for independence “regardless of what the election results are”.

He said: “Tommy Sheppard is not wrong in saying, of course, that if the message in Scotland is that Scotland votes for Labour MPs, and if that is the message that Keir Starmer sees, then of course that will take our independence backwards.”

The SNP will never stop campaigning for independence

Asked directly if the debate on independence will stop if the party fails to win the most seats, Mr Yousaf said: “No. The SNP will never stop campaigning for independence.

“It hasn’t stopped campaigning in its almost 90 years of existence, and it will continue to campaign for independence regardless of what the election results are, regardless of how many seats we have in any Parliament.”

He acknowledged the independence movement will have a “more difficult” challenge without SNP MPs at Westminster.

His party is looking to again win a majority of seats in Scotland, with the aim of giving “democratic effect to Scotland becoming an independent country”, he said.

The comments come as Mr Yousaf prepares to launch the SNP’s general election campaign later on Friday, targeting all Conservative seats in Scotland.

At the launch event in Glasgow, Mr Yousaf will be joined by SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn to address party candidates and supporters.

Mr Yousaf is expected to say: “The first step we take towards a brighter future must be to kick the Tories out.

“The SNP is by far the best-placed party to do that.

“Today I am setting an ambition for the SNP to wipe the Tories from Scotland’s electoral map by winning all six of those Tory seats.

“That is a big ask, but I don’t believe you go into elections unless you are willing to be ambitious.”

Scottish Conservative chairman Craig Hoy said: “The Scottish public are sick and tired of the independence-obsessed SNP ignoring their real priorities, such as the economy and Scotland’s ailing public services, and trying to turn the next election into a de facto referendum on separation.

“Voters know that the only way to shift the focus on to the issues that matter to them – and shut the door on Humza Yousaf’s independence plan for good – is to unseat SNP MPs.

“As Humza Yousaf points out, in swathes of constituencies across the country, only the Scottish Conservatives can do that.”

Scottish Labour deputy leader Dame Jackie Baillie said: “While the SNP is posturing about kicking the Tories out of Scotland, Labour is getting ready to kick them out of Government.

“The SNP is desperately scrambling for relevance at the next election, but voters face a straightforward choice – more chaos and decline with a Tory Government or a fresh start with a Labour one.

“Only Labour can deliver the change Scotland needs – helping people with the cost-of-living crisis and restoring our public services.”