Swinney says 'precedent is on my side' to secure indyref2

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John Swinney, during an appearance on BBC Scotland’s The Sunday Show, argued that the precedent set before the 2014 Scottish independence referendum should trigger a new vote if the SNP secures a majority in the upcoming Holyrood election. The party’s victory in 2011, where they gained more than half of MSPs, paved the way for the previous referendum. Delegates at the SNP conference in Aberdeen recently supported Swinney’s strategy to make the next election a de-facto poll on independence. However, Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander, representing the UK Labour government, opposes a second referendum.

Former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who is set to step down as an MSP next year, backed Swinney’s approach while signing copies of her new memoir at the conference. Sturgeon emphasized the challenges of achieving a majority but highlighted the importance of aiming high to achieve significant goals. In the 2011 election, the SNP, under the leadership of the late Alex Salmond, secured 69 seats out of 129. The party has not managed to gain an outright majority in subsequent Holyrood elections since then. Scotland voted against independence in 2014, and any new vote would require approval from Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.

During the same Sunday Show, Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander criticized Swinney for focusing on independence to divert attention from the SNP’s alleged poor track record in public services. Alexander expressed skepticism about the SNP’s motives and emphasized his commitment to opposing independence. He raised concerns about Swinney’s tactics and accused him of prioritizing party interests over the country’s welfare. Scottish Conservative deputy leader Rachael Hamilton and Liberal Democrat MSP Willie Rennie echoed Alexander’s sentiments, criticizing Swinney for allegedly neglecting crucial issues in favor of the independence agenda

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