SNP leader John Swinney has been accused of hitting the 'independence panic button' after pledging to intensify efforts to break up the UK. The Scottish First Minister vowed to 'turn the heat up' on the UK Government to secure a second independence referendum as part of his latest strategy.
Writing in the National newspaper on Friday, Swinney outlined a three-point plan: boosting support for leaving the UK, increasing pressure on Westminster, and securing an 'emphatic win' for the SNP in next year's Holyrood election. He stressed the importance of independence supporters backing the SNP at the ballot box.
Scottish Labour deputy leader Dame Jackie Baillie criticised the move, saying Scots would be 'shaking their heads'. She added: 'Twenty-five years ago, the then SNP leader, John Swinney, claimed that independence was closer than ever. Now he is attempting to lead his troops up the hill once more - but even they don't buy it.'
Scottish Conservative deputy leader Rachael Hamilton said: 'Scots are scunnered with John Swinney and the SNP's endless obsession with independence. Patients cannot get a GP appointment, our economy is flatlining, and standards have plummeted in our schools. That is what John Swinney should be focusing on.'
Since the 2014 independence referendum, successive UK governments have rejected calls for another ballot. The UK Supreme Court ruled in 2022 that only Westminster can authorise a new vote.
