Rachel Reeves: John Swinney SNP independence push playing from 'same tired old playbook'
Chancellor also criticised SNP over tax during visit to RAF Lossiemouth
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has blasted John Swinney’s latest independence push as playing from “the same old playbook”.
The chancellor also criticised the SNP’s tax policy and appeared to suggest the UK Government will not make further pushes to lower US tariffs on Scotch whisky.
Ms Reeves made the comments during a visit to RAF Lossiemouth on Friday, where she highlighted the UK Government’s recent investments in defence and clean energy.
This comes after the First Minister defended his strategy of a majority of SNP MSPs elected at the 2026 Scottish Parliament election as a mandate for a second independence referendum.
Speaking to The Scotsman on the RAF Lossiemouth airfield, Ms Reeves said: “It’s just the same old playbook from the SNP.
“They want to talk about the past and the referendum of a decade ago, and we want to move forward and seize the huge opportunities.
“I’d rather hear John Swinney talking about how he’s going to back jobs in Scotland, how he is going to reduce NHS waiting lists in Scotland, how he is going to improve school and college standards in Scotland - but it’s’ the same tired old SNP.
“They’ve only got one playbook, and that’s independence.
“I think ordinary people and businesses here in Scotland want to hear what the parties are going to do about reducing NHS waiting lists and seizing the opportunities for growth here in Scotland, and that’s what I’m focused on.”
She also criticised the SNP’s tax policy, and promised that Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar would reform the tax system if they win next year’s election.
The different tax rates between Scotland and England mean anyone earning more than £28,850 pays more tax north of the border than they would elsewhere.
Ms Reeves said: “What the SNP do is tax people on ordinary salaries more than they’d be taxed if they were in England.
“I know that Anas Sarwar, the Scottish Labour leader, says that if we win the next Holyrood elections, we would reform the tax system because in Scotland people are paying more but getting less, and whilst NHS waiting lists are falling in England and Wales, they are still on the rise in Scotland.
“Despite the record settlement that we gave the Scottish Government, they are taxing more and providing worse services.”
Ms Reeves’s visit to RAF Lossiemouth comes just days after the Moray military base played host to US President Donald Trump.
During his visit to Scotland, the president met with both the First Minister and Ms Reeve’s boss Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
During his meeting with the president at Trump International in Aberdeenshire, Mr Swinney made the case for lowering tariffs on Scotch whisky exports to the US.
Currently whisky exports face a 10 per cent tariff in the US, costing the industry £4 million a week.
After his meeting, Mr Swinney said there was a “willingness” from Mr Trump to look at the issue.
During Mr Trump’s visit, Mr Sarwar suggested the Prime Minister agreed with the call to exempt Scotch whisky from the 10 per cent tariffs.
However, when pressed on the issue the chancellor appeared to suggest she was not willing to make any more pitches to the US Government on whisky tariffs.
Ms Reeves said: “We’ve got the best trade deal of any country in the world from the US.
“We were the first country to get a trade deal, and the announcements around tariffs on other countries around the world, whether that’s on the EU or others, are substantially higher.
“So we’re in a better position than anyone else in the world, and if you look for example at the trade deal we got with India last week, it sees a halving of tariffs on whisky.
“India is the fastest growing market in the world for Scotch whisky - that is really exciting.”
A spokesperson for the Scotch Whisky Association said: "We welcomed Scotch whisky tariffs being raised with President Trump earlier this week.
“We’re encouraged that the 10 per cent tariff on Scotch whisky in our biggest market – which is costing our industry more than £4m a week in lost exports – remains high on the agenda.
“Given the importance of the Scotch whisky industry to the UK economy, and communities all over Scotland, there is no time for complacency.
"We welcomed the India free trade agreement, which will open opportunities for our industry in the longer term, but returning to zero tariff trade with the US would give much needed relief now.
“Our industry is facing significant headwinds both at home and in our markets around the world, impacting our ability to invest. High levels of excise duty here at home are hitting businesses hard and it’s vital the chancellor listen to those concerns at the upcoming budget, recognising the wider impact of global and domestic turbulence, and supporting Scotch whisky in its home market."
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The First Minister made the case for tariff exemptions for our world class whisky sector directly with President Trump this week and - at the invitation of the president - intends to make further representations to him on this matter.
“We hope the 10 per cent tariff can be reduced or removed for all relevant products, including whisky, and we will continue to work with the UK Government to ensure all Scotland’s interests are represented as the UK-US economic prosperity deal is completed and built upon.
“The USA is one of Scotland’s most important markets and source of inward investment. We are confident it will remain a close trading partner, supporting a positive environment for businesses in Scotland and the US.”
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