SNP leader John Swinney has pledged that his party will be “hitting the ground running” on independence immediately after next week’s Holyrood election. The First Minister vowed to bring forward a vote on a Section 30 order on the very first sitting day after a new government is appointed, aiming to secure the powers necessary for an independence referendum from Westminster.
First 100 Days Plan
A new paper outlining the actions a re-elected SNP government would take in its first 100 days includes a commitment to a parliamentary vote approving the development of a Section 30 order. This order would transfer the legal authority to hold a referendum from the UK Parliament to the Scottish Parliament. Alongside this, Mr Swinney promised that a draft referendum Bill would be published and that the Scottish Government would initiate discussions with Westminster over the transfer of powers.
Westminster Refusal
When pressed on what would happen if Westminster refuses to grant the necessary powers—as Sir Keir Starmer and other Labour figures have indicated—Mr Swinney declined to specify a course of action. Instead, he appealed to voters: “I want people to vote SNP to give us an overall majority so that we can get on with this agenda. That’s my appeal to the people of Scotland in this election—vote for the SNP emphatically and let’s get on with giving Scotland the choice.”
Precedent from 2011
The First Minister is hoping to replicate the SNP’s majority victory from 2011, which led to the 2014 referendum, to break what he describes as the country’s constitutional “log jam.” He insisted that legal action would not be necessary if Westminster respects the precedent set in 2011: “Nobody has to consider litigation if we just respect the precedent that was designed and created in 2011.” Mr Swinney emphasised that it is “unacceptable for a UK Government to be impervious to the democratic wishes of the people of Scotland.”
Other 100-Day Pledges
The 100-day plan also includes a request for the “immediate transfer” of powers over energy from Westminster, which the SNP says would allow for reducing energy bills without waiting for independence. Draft legislation to cap the price of “essential” foods would be pursued to help those facing the cost-of-living crisis. Additionally, the SNP promises five new walk-in GP clinics within 100 days, support for over 2,000 first-time home buyers through the First Homes Fund (up to £10,000 each), and an extension of the £2 bus fare cap to six more local authority areas.
Reactions from Opposition
Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay criticised the focus on independence, saying: “John Swinney’s plot to make the first vote of the new parliament about an independence referendum confirms how breathtakingly out of touch he is with the people of Scotland. Instead of focusing on the cost-of-living crisis, jobs, education or the NHS, he’s hellbent on plunging Holyrood into fresh constitutional chaos.” Scottish Labour deputy leader Dame Jackie Baillie added: “The SNP’s first 100 days in government happened nearly 20 years ago in 2007. If you want to know what 100 days of SNP government looks like, you only need to look at the last 100 days—an NHS in crisis, 10,000 kids in temporary accommodation, rising rates of crime and classrooms in chaos. No-one is buying John Swinney’s fresh start act.”
