John Swinney 'stakes leadership' on delivering independence as he insists SNP will 'win big' in May
In a rousing speech, John Swinney told the SNP conference that “the need to achieve independence has never, ever been greater for Scotland”.
John Swinney has “staked his premiership” on winning independence after insisting the SNP can “win big” at next year’s Holyrood election in a bold leadership gamble.
In a rousing speech as he successfully sold his independence strategy to party members, Mr Swinney claimed the SNP was “within touching distance” of an improbable majority at May’s election the First Minister hopes will be an unwavering mandate for a second referendum in the eyes of the UK government.
Mr Swinney boldly claimed that he “took the leadership to deliver independence”, adding “that’s exactly what I’m going to do for Scotland”.
Speaking to journalists after the SNP leader’s remarks, party deputy leader Keith Brown admitted that Mr Swinney “has staked his premiership on the idea of winning independence”, but stressed he is doing so “from a position of strength”.
SNP delegates discussed the independence strategy for almost two hours in what Mr Swinney labelled a “good, long, vibrant debate”.
The SNP leader told the conference that his way forward will focus on “breaking the logjam so that Scotland’s people decide Scotland’s future”.
Mr Swinney stressed that he is “totally and utterly devoted to winning Scottish independence”.
He added: “Nobody knows the tactics I’m going to deploy if we get 65 seats in the Scottish Parliament. Keep watching because Scotland is on the journey to independence.”
Mr Swinney insisted that “the need to achieve independence has never, ever been greater for Scotland” as he demanded that SNP members go to the country ahead of next year’s election with a “clear, simple and unambiguous message”.
He added: “I’m asking us today to be clear with the Scottish people what we are offering them and what we’re asking of them.
“That we go to our fellow Scots between now and May with a clear, simple and unambiguous message – only a vote for the SNP will secure Scotland’s right to decide.
“Only a vote for the SNP will secure Scotland’s independence and that is what this party is about.”
Despite polls showing the SNP will fall short of winning an overall majority, as the party did in 2011, Mr Swinney told delegates at the party conference in Aberdeen that the achievement was “well within our grasp”.
He insisted that securing a majority of MSPs in May would “make the world sit up and notice our choice over Scotland’s future”.
READ MORE: Stephen Flynn kicks off SNP conference by painting John Swinney's stability as the party's strength
The SNP leader told activists that the Yes campaign needed a “credible plan for independence", as he claimed there was “growing support for independence in the polls”.
He warned that if the SNP failed to get over the line and secure a re-run of the 2014 referendum, “another generation of children will be left to languish in a hopeless Westminster system.
Mr Swinney stressed that the SNP was “not just going to win”, adding that “we are going to win big” - as he called for the party to secure a majority to “deliver that choice for Scotland”.
Derek Pretswell, who tabled an amendment to fight next year’s election as a de facto referendum on independence and victory would be “considered a mandate to negotiate independence”.
He stressed that those within the party wanting another route to independence were “not rebels”, but were trying to forge “a different pathway” set out by the “unfettered grassroots membership”.
READ MORE: Scottish independence is a distant prospect - but here's why it will dominate SNP conference
Mr Pretswell asked members “why do we need to beg…for permission to determine our own future”, warning that “Keir Starmer has already said Westminster will say no”.
He told activists that the de facto referendum was “a fair plebiscite", where “every vote counts”.
Mr Pretswell stressed that “all roads to independence pass through this measure” he was proposing, asking “why do we keep kicking the can down the road” and questioned why Scotland requires “the approval of our captors” in order to leave the Union.
He called on SNP members to “fight for your country”, stressing they were “not being expected to stand on the field of Bannockburn”.
Mr Pretswell told activists that using next year’s election as a de facto referendum would “galvanise the Scottish people to turn out and vote for independence”.
Alba party leader, Kenny MacAskill branded Mr Swinney’s strategy as “a missed opportunity to unite the independence movement and pursue a clear, credible and popular strategy to seek and achieve a mandate for independence.“
He added: “The SNP has effectively handed a veto to Westminster over whether or not Scotland can become independent.”
Labour’s Neil Bibby said that “people deserve better than this tired, incompetent government that will put its own obsession with division before Scotland”.
Scottish Conservative deputy leader, Rachael Hamilton, claimed that the SNP has “lost all credibility with their renewed drive for an unwanted referendum”, branding the party “squabbling like Nats in a sack over which version of this fantasy to back”.
Earlier, Scotland’s top trade unionist said cuts at both Holyrood and Westminster are a “gift to the far right”, while also calling for council tax to be abolished.
Roz Foyer, general secretary of the Scottish Trade Unions Congress, criticised both the UK and Scottish governments during her speech to the SNP conference in Aberdeen.
During her speech she also called for borrowing powers, migration, employment and taxation to be devolved to Holyrood, and voiced her support for Scottish self-determination.
In her criticism of government cuts, she said: “Every cut made, every promise broken, every opportunity to act that is missed by both our governments kills off people's hope and trust in politics.
“It poisons our democracy, and it is a gift to the far right.”
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