New generation of Scots deserve fresh vote on independence, says Swinney

Giving Scots a fresh vote on the country’s place in the UK in a second independence referendum “has never been more important, more urgent or more necessary”, John Swinney has said.

The Scottish First Minister said to achieve another vote he is “determined” to see the SNP win a majority of seats at next May’s Holyrood election.

That would repeat the party’s success in 2011, which led to the 2014 independence referendum.

That ballot, in which a majority of Scots voted to remain part of the UK, was described at the time as being a “once in a generation” opportunity.

Responding to opponents who say it is too soon for another ballot, Swinney said: “By 2030, there will be one million young Scots eligible to vote who were too young in 2014.

“Some of them will not even have been born then.

“That seems like a generation to me.”

Scotland is facing a “pivotal moment”, the SNP leader insisted, as he told supporters at an event in Edinburgh that Westminster governments have “failed to deliver higher living standards”.

Looking ahead to a future in the UK “under Labour, under Tory, or as is looking increasingly likely Nigel Farage”, Swinney went on the declare: “I would not be doing my duty were I not to offer people a very different choice.”

His comments came as the Scottish Government published a new paper on Thursday calling on the UK Government to “make a clear commitment to respect the people of Scotland’s right to decide their future”.

The Scottish Government “believes that it is a fundamental feature of Scottish parliamentary democracy that the Scottish people can decide to hold a referendum through their votes in Scottish Parliament elections”, the paper added.

It went on to stress the importance of the UK Government and Parliament “recognising and giving effect to that decision as they did in 2014″.

In his speech, Swinney noted the 2014 referendum ”took place following a majority SNP win in the 2011 election”.

He added: “That is the precedent - and that is what I am determined to repeat.”

But the paper released by the Scottish Government on Thursday suggested if the people of Scotland “return a Scottish Parliament, that supports the holding of a referendum and a Scottish Government committed to delivering one”.

Speaking to journalists after his speech, the First Minister said the party’s position was that another referendum required a majority because Westminster “ignored” previous pro-independence majorities in 2016 and 2021.

“I’m simply looking at reality, saying at what time, at what moment did an independence referendum happen?” he said.

“It happened in 2014, after and election in which the SNP won a majority of seats in the Scottish Parliament on our own and I’m advancing the argument, which I think has got a lot of substance, because it relies on the principles of precedent.”

He set out his goal at a time when he said “giving people a choice over their future has never been more important, more urgent or more necessary”.

Swinney told Scots: “At this pivotal moment in our story as a country - as our world changes rapidly around us, and as Westminster moves ever further away from the daily priorities of people in Scotland – let us come together and demand a say over our future.”

The UK Government has turned down requests from successive SNP first ministers for a second referendum to – despite the Scottish elections in 2016 and 2021 both returning a majority of pro-independence MSPs.

A UK Government spokesperson said on Thursday: “This is simply not a priority for Scots. The UK Government’s priority is delivering for people in Scotland.

“The Scottish Government should be focused on working with us on our Plan for Change: to grow the economy, improve our public services, and put more money in people’s pockets – that is what Scots want to see.”

Scottish Labour constitution spokesman Neil Bibby said: “This is a desperate attempt from John Swinney to deflect from his failures and try to cling to power.

“John Swinney knows he’s got no chance of winning a majority next year, so he is instead trying to pretend he has a plan for independence, when he doesn’t.”

Scottish Conservative deputy leader Rachael Hamilton said: “If John Swinney was genuinely interested in seeing the wishes of the Scottish people respected, he’d stop relentlessly pushing for independence and focus on the day job.

“The public want John Swinney to cut NHS waiting lists, tackle classroom violence, fix our roads and grow our economy.

“But instead of focusing on the mess his Government has created, he’s desperately trying to shore up his nationalist base.”