John Swinney has warned that the "whole existence of the Scottish Parliament" would be under threat if Reform UK gains power at Westminster, speaking at an event with actor Alan Cumming. The SNP leader also reiterated his commitment to pursuing Scottish independence should his party secure a majority in the Holyrood elections.
Swinney's warning on Reform UK
During a fireside conversation in Edinburgh on Monday evening, the First Minister highlighted the risk of Reform UK, led in Scotland by Malcolm Offord, potentially coming second in the upcoming vote. He stated there is a "very high risk" of Reform UK taking power at the next UK general election.
"If that's the case – if you think our values are under threat just now, just wait until they get into power in the United Kingdom, and the whole existence of the Scottish Parliament will be threatened," Swinney said.
He added: "On Friday, I'm afraid to say some of them will be members of the Scottish Parliament. And within it there will be direct people who don't believe in the institution and that's a big threat to Scottish self-government. And if a Reform government gets in in the UK in 2028/29, it will be a direct threat to the concept of Scottish self-government. So that's why we need to be independent."
Independence referendum plans
Alan Cumming, the Perthshire-born Hollywood actor who splits his time between New York and Scotland, asked Swinney about his plans for advancing Scottish independence if the SNP wins a majority. Swinney has previously stated he would pursue another independence referendum if the SNP secures a majority of Holyrood's 129 seats, a move successive UK governments have refused.
"I certainly will not side-channel the conversation (with the UK Government)," Swinney said. "If I get an overall majority on Thursday, it will be a very front-door conversation with the UK Government as a consequence of what people vote for on Thursday."
Call with Donald Trump
Swinney also reflected on his recent phone call with US President Donald Trump, who lifted tariffs on Scotch whisky. The call took place at a garden centre while Swinney was campaigning. He noted that Trump claimed to have lifted the tariff in honour of the King, but Swinney argued the key rationale was improving trade between Scotland and Kentucky on bourbon casks used to mature Scotch whisky.
