John Swinney: I want to collaborate with Sinn Féin and Plaid Cymru to break up UK
The First Minister said he wanted to ‘change the dynamics of the UK’ to secure Scottish independence
John Swinney has said he wants to collaborate with Sinn Féin in Northern Ireland and a potential nationalist government in Wales to help secure Scottish independence.
The First Minister said he would "enjoy the co-operation" with the administration in Belfast and Plaid Cymru in Cardiff.
Polls show Plaid Cymru neck-and-neck with Reform in Wales but likely to lead the next government due to parliamentary arithmetic.
Northern Ireland will not hold an election until next year but Sinn Féin's Michelle O'Neill is the current First Minister.
The Scottish Conservatives said pro-UK voters “will be appalled and terrified at the prospect of John Swinney working in cahoots with Sinn Fein to break up the United Kingdom”.
Mr Swinney has set himself the target of winning a majority of seats in next month’s Holyrood election in a bid to force another vote on the future of the UK.
Speaking to journalists while campaigning in Edinburgh, he was asked if he saw the SNP, Sinn Féin and Plaid Cymru working together to secure independence in the event that he did secure a majority.
"I certainly would enjoy the co-operation with counterparts in Plaid and Sinn Féin in Wales and Northern Ireland,” Mr Swinney said.
"It is for each of those individuals to lead their political campaigns in their own countries, and I don't speak for them.
"But certainly for my part, I would appreciate that collaboration to change the dynamics of the United Kingdom so that I can secure my objective of winning Scottish independence.
"Aside from that, I think the United Kingdom would be changed irreversibly if that outcome was to be the case [with nationalist parties running all three devolved governments]."
Asked why it would be changed irreversibly, he said: "Because of the nature of the discussions that would then be taking place around the United Kingdom and between the devolved governments and the United Kingdom government, which would change very dramatically with the fact that all of those three countries would be led, potentially, by governments that are committed to fundamental change in the United Kingdom."
The 2014 referendum – held after Alex Salmond became the only party leader so far to win an overall majority of seats in the Scottish Parliament – saw Scots vote by 55 per cent to 45 per cent in favour of staying part of the UK.
“I think we are very close to winning Scottish independence,” the First Minister said recently. “I just have to make it happen.”
He has suggested a second referendum could be held in 2028.
Scottish Conservative deputy leader Rachael Hamilton said: “Pro-UK voters will be appalled and terrified at the prospect of John Swinney working in cahoots with Sinn Fein to break up the United Kingdom.
“This shows his and the SNP's true colours - they will gladly team up with any party, in any corner of the UK, so long as they share his obsession with tearing it apart.
“That's why the prospect of an SNP majority, which Swinney reckons is in the bag, is so frightening.
“He has said repeatedly that he would use this as a mandate to break up the United Kingdom – and Keir Starmer is so weak he would probably give into his demands.”
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