‘Democratic majority’ of pro-indy MSPs should lead to referendum, says Swinney

A “democratic majority” of pro-independence MSPs following the next Scottish Parliament election should result in another referendum on the constitutional question, John Swinney has said.

The SNP leader set out his views on the way forward for Scottish independence as he gathered his team of constituency candidates for next year’s Holyrood election.

With a year to go until Scots go to the polls, Swinney said he wanted to “bring Scotland together” at a party event in Edinburgh.

Taking questions from broadcasters, the First Minister was asked about the next steps in the SNP’s push for Scottish independence – the party’s founding mission.

Following last year’s general election results, where the SNP fell to just nine seats, the issue has not featured heavily in Swinney’s speeches.

He said only a referendum could settle the issue and a “democratic majority” for independence in the Scottish Parliament should lead to a second referendum on Scottish independence.

While the Scottish Parliament currently has a majority of pro-independence MSPs, so far requests for a second referendum have not been granted.

The Supreme Court ruled on the issue in 2022, deciding that Holyrood did not have the power to hold a unilateral referendum.

Speaking to a group of journalists later, Swinney was asked if he would ramp up his messaging on independence.

He said: “I recognise I had to earn the right to be heard by the public in Scotland.

“I think we had lost the right to be heard by the people of Scotland and I had to re-earn that.”

He continued: “I think people are learning the very, very, very hard way that you can change the government of Westminster, but it doesn’t change the outcomes for your lives.”

He was asked directly if there should be a convention on independence – something other pro-independence parties have demanded – but instead suggested that his focus is on “doing really well politically, engaging with the public and shifting the tectonic plates”.

Asked if the NHS was his biggest electoral liability over the next year, he said the health service is a “fundamental issue”.

Responding to Swinney’s remarks, Lib Dem MSP Willie Rennie said: “Here it is straight from the horse’s mouth. John Swinney puts independence above action now on your job, your GP appointment or your children’s education.

“Any vote for him will be taken as a vote to waste more time arguing over independence.

“Scottish Liberal Democrats are clear that the purpose of the Scottish Parliament should be to deliver swift local access to healthcare, provide more support for teachers and pupils in classrooms and get the economy growing again.

“More of the same old arguments won’t move this country forward.”