Swinney vows to ‘turn up heat' on UK Government over independence
The First Minister unveiled a three-point plan to achieve separation, the first of which was increasing support for breaking away from the UK to the highest 'possible' level.
Mr Swinney said the second stage would be to 'turn the heat up' on the UK Government to allow a rerun of the 2014 independence referendum, which the Nationalists lost by nearly 11 points.
The final stage of the plan was to deliver an 'emphatic win' for the SNP in next year's Holyrood election, when the party will be looking to achieve an unprecedented fifth term in office.
Mr Swinney argued that during the next Holyrood parliament, a generation will have 'clearly' passed since the last referendum, with a million Scots on the electoral roll who were not eligible to cast a ballot in 2014.
But Holyrood's Unionist parties said Mr Swinney's intervention was the 'latest desperate hit of the independence panic button' amid calls from SNP rebels for him to be ditched as party leader.
It was reported in June that he risked facing a leadership challenge at the SNP conference in October unless he comes up with a new strategy to achieve Scottish independence.
After taking over last year, Mr Swinney initially won praise for overseeing a recovery in the SNP's fortunes following the troubled final months of Nicola Sturgeon 's premiership and Humza Yousaf 's chaotic tenure.
But internal grumbling about his leadership has increased since June's Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse Scottish Parliament by-election, when Labour pulled off a shock victory after the SNP vote share fell.
Successive UK governments have repeatedly turned down SNP calls for a second referendum, with the UK Supreme Court ruling in 2022 that only Westminster can allow another poll.
Writing in the independence-supporting National newspaper, Mr Swinney said the first part of his plan 'will be a campaign designed to build the highest levels of support possible for independence as the best future for Scotland'.
'I will be saying to those who voted Yes in 2014, and who have become independence supporters in the years since, that what they believed in then is just as valid today,' he wrote.
He has also angered hard-line Nationalists by warning that support for independence will have to increase to more than 60 per cent to force the UK Government to allow another referendum.
'They saw that Britain was fundamentally broken, that Westminster couldn't deliver on their dreams and aspirations, and what they saw has come to pass. And now it is time to do something about it.
'But I will also be urging people who were not persuaded of the merits of independence in 2014 to see the state of Britain today and take a different view.'
He said the second stage would involve ' building public pressure around Scotland's fundamental national rights', including its ability to 'determine her own future'.
'We are ready to turn the heat up on Westminster and its anti-democratic stance, mobilising the support, energy and the impetus of people in Scotland behind the simple idea: no ifs, no buts, Scotland has the right to choose' the First Minister said.
Mr Swinney said his 'priority' was to deliver an election win next May, adding: 'History tells us that only when the SNP is doing well is there any prospect of advancing on Scotland's constitutional cause.'
But Dame Jackie Baillie, Scottish Labour's deputy leader, said: 'Scots will be shaking their heads at John Swinney's latest desperate hit of the independence panic button – it's clear he's a man that's out of ideas and out of steam.
'Twenty-five years ago, John Swinney, the then SNP leader, 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. John Swinney offers absolutely no vision and no hope for the people of Scotland.'
Rachael Hamilton, the Scottish Tory deputy leader, said: 'Scots are scunnered with John Swinney and the SNP's endless obsession with independence.
'The Nationalists are continuing to prioritise their own interests rather than focusing on what truly impacts the lives of Scots.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
21 minutes ago
- The Independent
Tasers to be issued to staff in male prisons in government crack down on violence
Tasers are set to be issued to some staff in male prisons as the government attempts to crack down on 'unacceptable' record levels of violence. Specialist officers from the Operational Response and Resilience Unit based in Kidlington, Oxfordshire, and Doncaster, South Yorkshire, will be the first to become equipped with electric stun guns when the pilot launches on Monday. as she attended the base in Kidlington last week. The trial in England and Wales will run until enough data has been collected to determine if Tasers should be more widely used, according to the Ministry of Justice – but Ms Mahmood said she hoped to have updates in the autumn. The launch comes after rates of assaults on prison staff reached record levels last year, rising by 13 per cent in the 12 months up to December 2024, according to government data. There were also 10,496 assaults on staff in the 12 months to September 2024 – a 23 per cent increase from the previous 12 months and a new peak. Unions welcomed the new trial, but called on the government to address the roots of violence in jail. Last week, officers demonstrated how they would use Tasers on violent inmates in scenarios where there is a significant threat to safety – such as hostage situations or riots. Speaking to reporters at the Kidlington base, Ms Mahmood said: 'I inherited a situation with completely unacceptable levels of violence. I'm not willing to tolerate that. I'm determined to do everything I can to keep prison staff safe. 'They have been asking for Tasers to be allowed to be used in our prison estate for years and years and years, and I'm very pleased to have been able to greenlight this trial.' In April this year, Manchester Arena plotter Hashem Abedi targeted prison staff at HMP Frankland with boiling oil and homemade weapons in a planned ambush. Four prison officers were injured at the jail in Brasside, County Durham, with three taken to hospital. 'The incident of Frankland has really forced the pace on further roll-out of these measures,' Ms Mahmood said. Southport killer Axel Rudakubana also allegedly attacked a prison officer at HMP Belmarsh in May by pouring boiling water over them. Union bosses called for officers to be given stab vests and protective equipment, with Ms Mahmood announcing in June that officers would be told to wear body armour at close supervision centres, separation centres and segregation units in the highest categories of prisons in England and Wales. The trial will use the Taser 7 model, which generates 50,000 volts when fired, with the voltage dropping to 1,500 volts on contact with the skin to incapacitate the target. The T7 model is also a two-shot weapon, enabling officers to shoot a second time in the event they miss their target the first time. The Tasers will be worn by officers on their tactical vest in a secure holster, making the weapon visible to inmates as a deterrent, officers told Ms Mahmood last week. They added that the device also collects data – such as how long it was discharged for – which will contribute to the trial. Officers already have access to batons and Pava spray, a synthetic form of pepper spray, in men's prisons in the public sector. The Ministry of Justice announced in April Pava spray is due to be made available 'in limited circumstances' to a select number of specialist staff at the three public sector young offender institutions – including YOI Werrington, Wetherby and Feltham A. The Taser trial is part of a £40 million package announced last month to boost security across the prison estate, including £10 million specifically for anti-drone measures such as new netting and reinforced windows, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said on Monday. 'Officers will be subject to robust accountability measures, each deployment of a taser will be reviewed,' a spokesperson for the MoJ added. A spokesperson for the Prison Officers' Association (POA) said: 'The POA will always support any initiative that will help protect our members. 'However, as welcome as this initiative is we need to address the reasons why prison officers need Tasers in the first place. 'Violence in our prisons is out of control and apathetic prison managers would rather put the prison regime before the safety of their staff. 'We urgently need action to address overcrowding, understaffing, drugs and the other root causes of prison violence.'
The National
21 minutes ago
- The National
John Swinney and Donald Trump to meet in Aberdeen
JOHN Swinney will use his meeting with Donald Trump to push for stronger US pressure on Israel and to seek trade concessions for key Scottish exports. Swinney is expected to urge the US president to back an immediate and lasting ceasefire in Gaza and increase humanitarian aid access during a meeting on Tuesday. The First Minister is also reported to have accepted an invitation to have dinner with the president on Monday night. Swinney is expected to make the case that the 'blunt human reality' of starvation in the enclave requires urgent international action. READ MORE: John Swinney to discuss 'horrific' Gaza humanitarian crisis with Donald Trump 'There must be an intensification of pressure on Israel,' Swinney said in a BBC interview. 'President Trump is ideally positioned – perhaps uniquely positioned – to ensure safe passage for humanitarian aid and push for a durable ceasefire. The people of Gaza face absolutely unbearable conditions.' Swinney will also press Trump to exclude Scotch whisky from the current 10% US tariff on UK exports. He argued the 'uniqueness' of Scottish whisky production merits special exemption. 'It can only be produced in Scotland. It's not a product that can be produced in any other part of the world," Swinney said. 'So there's a uniqueness about that, which I think means there is a case for it to be taken out of the tariffs arrangement that is now in place. 'Obviously the trade deal with the United States provides a degree of stability for economic connections with the United States, but the application of tariffs is increasing the costs for the Scotch whisky industry. 'So one of my objectives will be to make the case to President Trump that Scotch whiskey should be exempted from those tariffs. 'It's a product that is uniquely produced in Scotland, and it's a product that is much welcomed and supported within the United States. 'And I think there's a really good case for exempting Scotch whisky, and this is an opportunity that I have to put that case to President Trump on behalf of the Scotch whisky industry, which is a significant part of the Scottish economy.' Swinney said the tariffs are currently costing the industry around £4 million each week, describing them as a 'significant burden'. He added that reaching a deal would support economic growth and development in Scotland. 'Obviously, I'll be using every opportunity I have to try to put that across to President Trump," he continued. His interventions come as Prime Minister Keir Starmer meets Trump for broader discussions on the Middle East, the war in Ukraine, and the future of UK-US trade. While a recent UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal eased some barriers, tariffs on British steel remain unresolved. Industry leaders had feared a hike to 50%, but the current 25% rate still poses challenges, particularly with no new agreement following a July 9 deadline set by the Trump administration. READ MORE: Donald Trump to meet John Swinney and Keir Starmer for Gaza talks Downing Street said both governments are working "at pace" to provide long-term certainty for UK industry and deliver tangible benefits to workers on both sides of the Atlantic. Trump is also expected to discuss the war in Ukraine with Starmer, including coordinated efforts to pressure Vladimir Putin to end the invasion. After their meetings in Ayrshire, the pair will travel to Aberdeen for a private engagement. Trump struck a trade deal between the US and EU during his meeting with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at Turnberry on Sunday. The agreement introduces a 15% tariff on most EU goods entering the US – down from a previously threatened 30% – and includes significant energy commitments.
Daily Mail
22 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Violent inmates now face being tasered by prison officers as Justice Secretary vows to 'keep staff safe'
Violent inmates now face being tasered by prison officers as part of Government efforts to clamp down on record levels of assaults on staff. Specialist officers based in Kidlington, Oxfordshire, and Doncaster, South Yorkshire will be the first to be equipped with Tasers during a trial looking into their use in jails. Rates of assaults on prison staff reached record levels last year, rising by 13 per cent in the 12 months up to December 2024, according to Government data. There were also 10,496 assaults on staff in the 12 months to September 2024 – a 23 per cent increase from the previous 12 months and a new peak. In April this year, Manchester Arena plotter Hashem Abedi targeted prison staff at HMP Frankland with boiling oil and homemade weapons in a planned ambush. Four prison officers were injured at the jail in Brasside, County Durham, with three taken to hospital. Southport killer Axel Rudakubana also allegedly attacked a prison officer at HMP Belmarsh, south-east London, in May by pouring boiling water over them. Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood said she is 'determined to keep prison staff safe' amid the 'completely unacceptable levels of violence'. Ms Mahmood last week attended the base in Kidlington to meet specialist officers from the Operational Response and Resilience Unit of HM Prison and Probation Service. They showed Ms Mahmood how they would use Tasers on violent inmates in scenarios where there is a significant threat to safety, such as hostage situations or riots. The trial will run until enough data has been collected to determine if Tasers should be more widely used, according the Ministry of Justice. But the Justice Secretary said she hoped to have updates in the autumn. 'I inherited a situation with completely unacceptable levels of violence,' she told reporters at the Kidlington base last week. 'I'm not willing to tolerate that. I'm determined to do everything I can to keep prison staff safe. 'They have been asking for Tasers to be allowed to be used in our prison estate for years and years and years, and I'm very pleased to have been able to greenlight this trial.' Ms Mahmood admitted the incident at HMP Frankland had 'really forced the pace on further roll–out of these measures'. She said a roll–out of Tasers for local prison staff teams across the UK will be examined as part of the trial, adding: 'I think it's right that we start looking at the trial through the prism of our national capabilities. 'Of course I will consider what the trial shows, but from my perspective this is very much the beginning.' Officers already have access to batons and Pava spray, a synthetic form of pepper spray, in men's prisons in the public sector. The Prison Officers' Association (POA) said it welcomed the move to further equip officers, but added the Government needed to address the roots of violence in jail. 'The POA will always support any initiative that will help protect our members,' a spokesperson for the trade union said. 'However, as welcome as this initiative is we need to address the reasons why prison officers need Tasers in the first place. 'Violence in our prisons is out of control and apathetic prison managers would rather put the prison regime before the safety of their staff. 'We urgently need action to address overcrowding, understaffing, drugs and the other root causes of prison violence.'
