John Swinney vows to bring forward Holyrood vote in bid to secure second independence referendum

The SNP will immediately bring forward a vote on holding a second independence referendum if the party wins the upcoming Holyrood election.

John Swinney said his party would seek parliamentary approval for obtaining a section 30 order from the UK Government which would allow for a vote on Scotland’s constitutional future.

Section 30 refers to the part of the Scotland Act which allows Holyrood to legislate in areas normally reserved to Westminster – such an order was granted by the UK Government ahead of the 2014 referendum, but has been repeatedly rejected in the past few years.

Setting out the SNP’s plan for its first 100 days in power, should it win the election, Swinney said: “I can confirm today that on the first sitting day after the appointment of the new government, we will bring forward a vote of the Scottish Parliament to approve the development of a section 30 order to give Scotland the power to hold an independence referendum.

“The parliament chosen by the people of Scotland, will have the chance to represent the democratic will of the people of Scotland.  Within the first 100 days, we will publish the draft referendum bill.”

Under the Conservatives, the UK Government repeatedly rejected requests from First Minister Nicola Sturgeon for a section 30 order.

The Scottish Government also lost a case in the Supreme Court where it was ruled the matter of a second referendum was a decision for Westminster. 

Swinney said his party would also formally request the “immediate transfer of powers” to Holyrood for the control of energy policy.

And he pledged to bring forward legislation within the first 100 days introducing a price cap on some food items as well as a ban on mobile phones in schools.

Scottish Labour’s deputy leader, Jackie Baillie, said: “The SNP’s first 100 days in government happened nearly 20 years ago in 2007.

“If you want to know what 100 days of SNP government looks like, you only need to look at the last 100 days – an NHS in crisis, 10,000 kids in temporary accommodation, rising rates of crime and classrooms in chaos.

 “No one is buying John Swinney’s fresh start act – John Swinney and the SNP created this mess and they have no idea how to fix it.”

Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay said: “John Swinney's plot to make the first vote of the new parliament about an independence referendum confirms how breathtakingly out of touch he is with the people of Scotland.

“Instead of focusing on the cost-of-living crisis, jobs, education or the NHS, he's hellbent on plunging Holyrood into fresh constitutional chaos.”