FIRST Minister John Swinney has said that devolution has “reached its limits” and that the UK government is holding Scotland back.
Speaking at the launch of the “Fresh Start with Independence” publication on Wednesday, the First Minister said that the people of Scotland have been let down by those in charge at Westminster which has led to them facing a cost-of-living-crisis.
Swinney argued that the limitations and constraints of being in a union make it more difficult for the Scottish Government to implement change to help improve people’s living standards.
He added that becoming an independent country would have its advantages to “be gained” and that Scotland needs to look at alternatives.
“There is a crisis over living standards in the United Kingdom, post Brexit, which we are tagged along with, we've got to look for an alternative, and that's what independence is,” Swinney said.
“Now, if you then come to your question about what can the Scottish Government do about that?
“We obviously try as hard as we can to try to create differential outcomes.”
The First Minister went on to give the Scottish Government’s promise to significantly reduce child poverty by 2030 as an example of a different approach in policy making in comparison to the UK Government.
He added that policies like ending the two-child payment cap have resulted in a reduction of child poverty in Scotland and is helping with the living standards of families across the country.
“I suppose what I'm saying is that we're either reaching or we have reached the limits of devolution because I think the steps that we've taken on the Scottish child payment are big, bold steps,” Swinney said.
On Monday, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) said the Scottish Government’s target to lower child poverty by 2030 will be missed unless political parties make changes in the next Scottish Parliament.
The report did add some signs that the Scottish child payment is starting to have an impact.
Recognising the report's findings, Swinney said: “I accept that. And I've also got to recognise the context and circumstances in which we operate, and that's very heavily influenced by the macro framework of the United Kingdom.”
When asked if his point is that the limit of devolution has been met, what more can the SNP do in power of the Scottish Government, Swinney said his party will “continue to search for the opportunities to do more”.
He added:“But fundamentally, we are reaching the limits of devolution.”
When asked what voters can expect with legislative developments through the parliament following the Holyrood elections in 2026, Swinney said his party will set out their ambitions and the steps that they can take.
He added: “But on the fundamental question, are we able to demonstrate improvement in living standards for people in Scotland? I think the path we could do that is through independence.
“Because the limitations and the constraints of the United Kingdom are such, that establishes limits on what we are able to take forward. And the difference we're able to make.”
The 91-page “A Fresh Start with Independence” sets out why the Scottish Government believes Scotland should be independent, and what it believes an independent Scotland could look like.
The paper suggests Scottish households would be more than £10,000 better off per year if the country were independent.
It comes off the back of an assessment from the Resolution Foundation, which found UK households would see an £8300 per year bounce if the average income and inequality was the same as other countries of a similar size.
If the same analysis was applied to an independent Scotland, the paper argued, Scottish households would be £10,200 better off.
