The SNP leader is promising action in Holyrood on independence on the first sitting day after a new government is established.
The SNP will be “hitting the ground running” after next week’s Holyrood election, John Swinney has pledged – with the First Minister vowing action towards an independence referendum on the very first sitting day after a new government is appointed.
A new paper setting out what actions a re-elected SNP government would take in its first 100 days in office promises a vote to approve the development of a Section 30 order – which would be needed to transfer powers to hold a referendum from Westminster to Holyrood.
This vote would take place on the first sitting day at Holyrood after the appointment of a new government – with Mr Swinney also vowing a draft referendum Bill will be published and that the Scottish Government would initiate discussions with Westminster over the transfer of powers to allow such a vote to be held.
The SNP leader refused to say what would happen if Westminster refuses to hand over the necessary powers for a referendum to the Scottish Parliament – as Sir Keir Starmer and other leading Labour figures have already indicated they will do.
“I want people to vote SNP to give us an overall majority so that we can get on with this agenda,” Mr Swinney said.
Speaking at an event in Glasgow on Monday, where he launched his 100-day plan, the SNP leader added: “That’s my appeal to the people of Scotland in this election – vote for the SNP emphatically and let’s get on with giving Scotland the choice.”
The First Minister is pinning his hopes on repeating the SNP’s majority victory from 2011 – which led to the 2014 referendum – to break what he describes as the country’s constitutional “log jam”.
But pressed on whether he could take legal action if Westminster refuses to allow a referendum, Mr Swinney said: “Nobody has to consider litigation if we just respect the precedent that was designed and created in 2011.”
Mr Swinney insisted: “The key point here is about respecting the democratic wishes of the people of Scotland.
“It just quite simply is unacceptable for a UK Government to be impervious to the democratic wishes of the people of Scotland.
“The precedent was established in 2011 of the election of an SNP majority leading to a referendum. It is a precedent I intend to repeat on May 7 and ensure that people in Scotland have their democratic right to choose their own future.”
His comments came as he stressed to voters that “Scotland must have the chance to become an independent country as soon as is practical”.
As a result, Mr 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.”
However, he refused to say if this – and other measures in the 100-day plan such as rolling out a £2 cap on bus fares and action to curb the price of some foodstuffs – was dependent on his party winning an overall majority.
“I’m simply appealing to the people of Scotland to give me a majority,” Mr Swinney said.
His 100-day plan includes a pledge to request the “immediate transfer” of powers over energy from Westminster – with the SNP saying this would mean “people do not have to wait for independence to reduce energy bills”.
Draft legislation to bring in a food price cap on “essential” foods would also be pursued in the first 100 days – with Mr Swinney saying in the midst of the cost-of-living crisis he was seeking to “help people who are facing the hardest of hard times just now”.
The SNP also said five new walk-in GP clinics could be established within 100 days while more than 2,000 first-time home buyers could get up to £10,000 of help from the planned First Homes Fund.
Meanwhile, the £2 cap on bus fares – already being piloted in the Highlands and Islands – could be rolled out to six other local authority areas across Scotland.
The commitments came as Mr Swinney claimed “the SNP is the only party setting out a serious programme for government”.
With just over a week until polling day on May 7, he urged people to “vote for an SNP government to get things done”.
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.”
Scottish Labour deputy leader Dame 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.”
