Swinney calls on MSPs to unanimously back Scotland’s ‘right to decide’

First Minister John Swinney will call on MSPs to unanimously back Scotland’s right to decide its own future in Parliament next week.

Mr Swinney claimed the movement for self-determination in Scotland is “gathering pace” and he argued there was a growing acceptance on all sides that Westminster’s position of vetoing democracy was unsustainable.

On Tuesday, Parliament will be asked to endorse a motion which says “that the Parliament agrees that Scotland is a nation that has a right to decide its own future”.

Mr Swinney has urged all MSPs in the chamber, regardless of their views on independence, to back the motion.

The move comes after first ministers of the UK’s three devolved nations met in Cardiff on Monday to declare jointly that “Westminster’s time is coming to an end”.

The memorandum of understanding signed by Mr Swinney, along with Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth and Sinn Féin vice president Michelle O’Neill, aimed to pressure Prime Minister Andy Burnham into agreeing to hold independence referendums.

Mr Swinney had said during the Holyrood election campaign earlier this year that he would seek to push forward with plans to achieve independence if the SNP was voted back into power.

In the days after the SNP Government was re-elected in May, a motion in the Scottish Parliament to call on Westminster “to make a section 30 order under the Scotland Act 1998 to devolve the powers to the Scottish Parliament to hold a referendum on Scottish independence” passed by 72 votes to 55.

In August, the Scottish Government published draft legislation to hold a second independence referendum and said the Bill will be introduced at Holyrood once the necessary powers are secured.

Mr Swinney said: “”The movement for self-determination in Scotland is gathering pace, with growing international attention on the issue and a welcome acknowledgement from the Prime Minister of the principle that Scotland should have a referendum when it is likely that people would vote for independence.

“After yet another SNP landslide victory, and with most opinion polls now showing independence as the most popular option, there is clearly a growing acceptance on all sides that Westminster’s anti-democratic position has become unsustainable.”

(left to right) John Swinney, Rhun ap Iorwerth, Mary Lou McDonald and Michelle O’Neill during a meeting at Voco St David’s Cardiff (Ben Birchall/PA)

PA Wire

Mr Swinney said he will ask MSPs in Holyrood to endorse that position on Tuesday.

“I will ask them to affirm to the people who elected them their belief that Scotland is not a region – it is a proud and ancient nation, and that our future is for us to decide,” the First Minister said.

“This is a principle that every MSP in the chamber – regardless of their view on what that future should look like – should be able to sign up to, so there is no reason why this motion cannot pass unanimously.”

He continued: “There is widespread agreement, from the Prime Minister downwards, that Westminster has failed people – and that’s why there is such excitement about building a modern and genuinely equal partnership between Scotland and our nearest neighbours.

“I will always use every power at my disposal to make Scotland a better country – but the full powers of independence are key to tackling some of the deep-seated challenges we face.

“With underlying economic strengths that many countries can only dream of, we should look to the future with confidence.”

A UK Government spokesperson said: “The Prime Minister has been clear that another independence referendum is off limits, because it would be a distraction to our vital work of growing the economy and helping families with the cost of living.

“We want to work with the Scottish Government to drive growth, opportunity and prosperity in Scotland.”