JOHN SWINNEY has pledged to “turn the heat up” on the UK government to allow a second referendum as part of his latest strategy to achieve independence.

Writing in the National newspaper today, the Scottish First Minister pledged to increase support for Scotland leaving the UK.

He stressed the importance of supporters of independence backing the SNP at next year’s Holyrood election.

Since the first vote in 2014, successive UK governments have repeatedly turned down calls for a second referendum.

But Mr Swinney has now pledged to mobilise support around the calling of another vote as part of a three-point plan.

He wrote: “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.

“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.

vAnd now it is time to do something about it.”

Scottish Labour deputy leader Dame Jackie Baillie accused Mr Swinney of hitting the “independence panic button” and said he offers “no vision and no hope” for Scotland.