Scottish Parliament backs plans for route to second independence referendum

The Scottish Parliament has backed a Scottish Government motion which requests that Westminster transfer the powers needed to hold a second independence referendum.  

The motion passed by 72 votes to 55, after the SNP backed an amendment by the Scottish Greens.

The vote followed a statement from First Minister John Swinney, who also led a debate titled “Ambitious for Scotland”, in which he outlined his plans for the session of parliament.

By voting in favour of the motion brought forward by Swinney, parliament has backed calls for the UK Government to make a Section 30 order under the Scotland Act 1998 to devolve the powers to the Scottish Parliament to hold a referendum on Scottish independence.

During his statement, Swinney said he will be the first minister for all of Scotland who is struggling to make ends meet, and a route to prosperity is through independence.  

But the addition of the Section 30 request in the motion drew criticism from unionist parties, with Labour leader Anas Sarwar praising some of the plans to improve public services but calling it a “missed opportunity” to use parliamentary time to discuss a second referendum.

Despite the vote, Prime Minister Keir Starmer previously stated in June last year that he would not grant a second referendum while he is in the role.

Swinney told the chamber that his government will deliver a “fair deal” for all Scots, adding that helping with the cost of living “is at the top of this government’s agenda”, telling the chamber his vision is to “transform Scotland” with independence.

Swinney said: “Today is the start of a process that I believe will lead Westminster to a yes to a referendum, and Scotland to a yes to independence.  

“Today I seek confirmation from this parliament that this is a voluntary union, and the people of Scotland have the right to decide whether we remain in that union. That is a principle that should be accepted by all those in this chamber who support independence but also those who believe in the union, because what is at stake is the democratic wishes of Scotland.”

The first minister made the case that energy “must be in Scotland’s hands”, arguing that Westminster's management has been “an unmitigated disaster”.  

He described the just transition as being “under threat” from “dangerous and damaging Westminster policies on energy and industry”.

He added: “There can be no doubt that the old ways of the Westminster government have failed Scotland, so let us say loud and clear for a just transition, for Scotland’s energy wealth to fully benefit Scotland’s people and communities, Scotland's energy must be in Scotland’s hands.

“Energy for Scotland is a source of opportunity, prosperity, and security. At a time when energy prices are rising, at a time of energy scarcity, Scotland, as an exporter of energy, should have less to fear.”

Other plans set out by the first minister during his speech include a £2 cap on bus fares nationwide as well as legislating to ensure people can buy their weekly shop for a “fair, affordable and reliable price”.

He also set out plans for further and more flexible childcare support, including an increase to the Scottish Child Payment for babies under one to £40 a week.  

On infrastructure, Swinney committed to the ongoing electrification of the nation’s rail network, completing the dualling of the A9 and A96, and £4.9bn to build thousands of new affordable homes.  

In its first 100 days, Swinney said the government would open a further five GP walk-in clinics and confirm the locations of 14 more.  

Sarwar said he backed “much of what was in the first minister’s statement”, however he said the reality is “the balance of the statement and the motion is stark”.  

He said: “The overwhelming majority of the statement focused on issues I think people would want to be the concentration of this SNP government, but if you look at the balance of the motion we are being asked to vote on today it is overwhelmingly about one issues and one issue alone, and that is the SNP first minister’s only ambition and only obsession, and that is the issue of independence.  

“I think that is a missed opportunity in this first debate of this new parliament.”

Scottish Green co-leader Ross Greer told the chamber that “every Green MSP elected to this parliament was elected to support the cause of independence”, and the gains the party made make it the largest pro-independence majority at Holyrood ever.  

Greer said: “It’s normal that a parliamentary majority can pursue what it has won a mandate from the voters on. But what we have seen throughout the campaign, and what we are seeing this afternoon in parliament, is increasingly mental gymnastics from unionist parties who claim that we somehow don't have that mandate.”

He added: “Democracy is not a one-off event. The public is no more bound by the vote in 2014 today than this parliament is bound by its predecessors. Democracy is a system that we live in every day of our lives, and this debate requires some honesty. Is this a voluntary union? Was it only a voluntary union until 2014?”

Conservative leader Russell Findlay was critical of the topic of the first debate of the new parliament and accused Swinney of “holding Scotland back”.  

Reform leader Malcolm Offord described the debate as “Groundhog Day”. He said: “Devolved matters control over 80 per cent of daily life in Scotland; our schools, our hospitals, our roads, our policing, our communities. That is what hardworking Scots want this parliament to focus on, how to build prosperity for families and communities, no endless debates on this ‘never-endum' question.”