Scottish First Minister John Swinney has reiterated his determination to secure a second Scottish independence referendum, proposing that it should be triggered if the Scottish National Party (SNP) wins a majority of seats in the 2026 Holyrood elections. Reflecting on the SNP’s 2011 success, which led to the 2014 referendum, Swinney argued that by 2030, a new generation of Scots—many too young to vote in 2014—will be eligible and deserve a say in the country’s future. While the 2014 vote resulted in a 55-45% decision to remain in the UK, Swinney contends that Westminster’s failure to address Scotland’s priorities justifies offering a new referendum. His remarks, made at an event in Edinburgh, came alongside the publication of a Scottish government paper urging the UK government to respect Scotland’s democratic right to decide its future. Swinney cited the 2011 SNP majority as the precedent for the 2014 referendum, which the UK government respected. Despite the UK government’s dismissal of requests for another referendum following pro-independence majorities in 2016 and 2021, Swinney insists that now is the time for the people of Scotland to have a choice over their future, particularly as Westminster seems increasingly detached from Scotland’s concerns.
Original title: Scotland’s first minister sets out latest plan for independence referendum
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