GLORIA DE PIERO:                This is the future home 
of the Scottish Parliament. The Scottish Nationalists had hoped that devolution 
could become the foundation stone of an independent nation. But all the 
indications are that when members take their seats here some time after 
next year's Scottish elections, the SNP will remain in Opposition. The 
Party is losing the battle with Labour.

PETER JONES:                The SNP went into the last 
elections in 1999 at the same sort of period before the elections as we 
are now - about ten points ahead of the Labour Party.  But now since the 
election the Lab.., the SNP have essentially stuck around about you know 
between five and ten points behind the Labour Party.  
   
DE PIERO:                    And they only have eight 
months to go till the Scottish elections to improve their position. John 
Swinney was elected as leader of the SNP to reach beyond the minority of 
Scottish voters who regard independence as a priority. Two years into his 
leadership and the Party has failed to make the expected breakthrough in 
the polls. Instead of being a Braveheart, has he turned into a faint heart 
when it comes to standing up to the die-hard supporters of independence 
within his own ranks?

John Swinney's election victory was supposed to herald a new era of Party 
modernisation, but critics now claim he hasn't delivered. They say his 
failure to talk more about public services and less about independence 
has cost him dearly.

JONES:                    Independence is at most 
supported by about a third of the population and that's a big problem because 
you know if the SNP go into the next election talking about domestic agendas 
- you know, poverty and the health service and the  opposition parties 
will drag it back to the question of independence, they'll talk about splits, 
divorces, the expense etc. 

DE PIERO:                    Photo opportunities in 
a hospital may not be enough to convince the Scottish people that the SNP 
will put public services first, particularly when limited resources would 
be stretched by the process of moving to independence.

JONES:                    There are a lot of costs 
associated with independence. Some of them are, can be dealt with, others 
are more difficult, such as the uncertainty costs that would be created 
by the process of moving to independence.  So the SNP is always vulnerable 
to the charge that just the single act of moving towards independence will 
cause such disruption that people will think it not worthwhile.

DE PIERO:                    If the SNP is ever to 
have any hope of building an independent Scotland they need to get control 
of this place first. But by giving independence such a high priority, the 
Scottish Nationalists may never be able to get the votes they need to close 
the gap with Labour.