Chancellor Rachel Reeves has unequivocally stated that the UK government will not permit a second Scottish independence referendum, even if the Scottish National Party secures a majority in next year's Holyrood election.
The declaration, made on Thursday 27 November 2025, has ignited a fierce political row, with Scottish Finance Secretary Shona Robison accusing the Labour government of an 'astonishing level of arrogance'.
A Firm Stance from Westminster
Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland's Breakfast programme, Chancellor Reeves was explicit in her position. 'I'm going to be very clear, there won't be another referendum,' she stated.
She pointed to the precedent set by the 2014 vote, reminding listeners that 'the SNP themselves said this was a once-in-a-generation opportunity', a commitment previously made by former First Ministers Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon.
When pressed on the length of a political generation, Reeves was definitive: 'Certainly not 12 years.' Instead, she urged the Scottish Government to focus on pressing domestic issues such as reducing NHS waiting lists, improving educational outcomes, and investing in infrastructure.
Scottish Government's Furious Response
The response from the Scottish Government was swift and critical. Finance Secretary Shona Robison lambasted the Chancellor's comments, insisting that Labour's stance is unsustainable.
'I don't believe it will hold, it can't hold,' Ms Robison declared on BBC Radio Scotland. She argued that a Labour government, which she described as one of the most unpopular in history, was telling the Scottish people they could not decide their own future.
Robison predicted that this position would further damage Labour's standing in the polls, branding it an 'astonishing display of arrogance'.
The Precedent of 2011
The core of the dispute lies in the interpretation of a political precedent. Scottish First Minister and SNP leader John Swinney has consistently argued that his party's landslide victory in the 2011 Holyrood election, which resulted in a majority, directly paved the way for the 2014 independence referendum.
The SNP appears to be preparing a similar mandate-based argument should they achieve a majority in the upcoming election in May next year. However, the UK Labour government, through the Chancellor, has now drawn a firm line, rejecting this approach and setting the stage for a significant constitutional clash.
