Skip to main content
Gifts from The Morning Star
Swinney calls for referendum if SNP win a majority at Holyrood elections
Scottish First Minister John Swinney with Euan Hyslop (left) and Martha Barr (right) after giving a speech in Edinburgh on independence and Scotland's 'right to decide', September 4, 2025

FIRST Minister John Swinney has called for another referendum on independence should the SNP win a majority at next year’s Holyrood elections.

Differing from a new Scottish government paper published today which argued another plebiscite be held should voters “return a Scottish Parliament that supports the holding of a referendum and a Scottish government committed to delivering one” — conditions that have been met in 2016 and 2021 — Mr Swinney argued:

“I’m simply looking at reality, saying at what time, at what moment did an independence referendum happen?

“It happened in 2014, after an election in which the SNP won a majority of seats in the Scottish Parliament on our own.

“It relies on the principles of precedent.”

Scottish Labour constitution spokesman Neil Bibby said: “This is a desperate attempt from John Swinney to deflect from his failures and try to cling to power.

“John Swinney knows he’s got no chance of winning a majority next year, so he is instead trying to pretend he has a plan for independence, when he doesn’t.”

A UK government spokesperson commented: “This is simply not a priority for Scots.”

The 95th Anniversary Appeal
Support the Morning Star
You have reached the free limit.
Subscribe to continue reading.
More from this author
Prime Minister Keir Starmer and US President Donald Trump during a press conference at Chequers, near Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire, on day two of the president's second state visit to the UK, September 18, 2025
Scotland / 25 September 2025
25 September 2025
Members of Scotland's tenants' union Living Rent organised a protest outside the Edinburgh City Council Chamber to highlight concerns about the scarcity of housing, January 2018
Scotland / 25 September 2025
25 September 2025
HMP Barlinnie in Glasgow
Scotland / 24 September 2025
24 September 2025
A general view of the University of Edinburgh Old College, Edinburgh
Scotland / 24 September 2025
24 September 2025
Similar stories
First Minister John Swinney during a visit to Clyde Gateway's Magenta Business Park, Glasgow, July 16, 2025
Scotland / 18 July 2025
18 July 2025
First Minister of Scotland John Swinney speaking to activists as he joins Katy Loudon, SNP candidate in the upcoming Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election on 5 June, at Alloway Gardens bus stop, Hamilton, May 3, 2025
Britain / 7 May 2025
7 May 2025
Reform UK party leader Nigel Farage with his party's candidates onstage during a campaign event at Stafford Showground, Stafford, whilst campaigning for this week's local elections, April 30, 2025
Britain / 5 May 2025
5 May 2025
SNP Depute leader Keith Brown, August 30, 2024
Britain / 31 December 2024
31 December 2024