John Swinney denies moving the goalposts on independence
The First Minister said his plans were ‘predicated’ on winning an overall majority at next month’s election
John Swinney has denied moving the goalposts on independence after vowing to push for a second referendum from day one of a new SNP government.
On Monday, the First Minister said he would hold an immediate Holyrood vote on transferring referendum powers from Westminster under a Section 30 order, as well as publishing a draft referendum Bill.
Despite repeatedly emphasising the need to secure an overall majority to “break the logjam” on the constitution, his spokesman told journalists the SNP would push ahead even if it falls short of this.
However, speaking during a visit to the charity Fresh Start Pilton in the north of Edinburgh on Tuesday, Mr Swinney said: “I want to make sure that I win an overall majority, and that's what my proposition is predicated on, because that triggers the precedent of 2011, and that's what really is critical in this debate.
"In 2011, the SNP won a majority and it led to a referendum on independence, and I want to make sure that those circumstances are repeated."
Put to him that the goalposts had been moved, the First Minister said: "I'm changing no goalposts."
He told journalists: "I'm simply saying that we need to make sure we get an SNP majority to make sure we can take forward the independence referendum, because that's what worked in 2011."
A paper setting out what actions a re-elected SNP government would take in its first 100 days in office promised a vote to approve the development of a Section 30 order, which would be needed to transfer powers to hold a referendum from Westminster to Holyrood.
Mr Swinney has refused to say what will happen if Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer rejects this, as he and other senior Labour figures have already indicated they will do.
His 100-day plan also includes a pledge to request the “immediate transfer” of powers over energy from Westminster, with the SNP saying this would mean “people do not have to wait for independence to reduce energy bills”.
Draft legislation to bring in a food price cap on “essential” foods would also be pursued in the first 100 days. Critics have warned this could be subject to legal challenge.
A poll on Monday found the SNP is on course to be the largest party after next month’s election but could fall short of a majority.
According to the Diffley Partnership, the SNP is set to return 62 MSPs after May 7 – three short of a majority.
The poll, conducted using a Survation online panel, would see Reform UK Scotland winning 19 seats across the country, becoming Holyrood’s second largest party.
Scottish Labour would return 17 MSPs, while the Scottish Greens would have 12, one higher than the Scottish Conservatives. The Scottish Liberal Democrats would win eight seats.
The SNP continues to have a substantial lead on both the constituency and regional list votes, the pollsters found, at 38 per cent and 29 per cent respectively.
A fifth of respondents said they would back Reform UK on the constituency ballot, while 19 per cent said they would do so on the list.
Comments
Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article.