The SNP is playing an “old tune” on independence, Scottish Green leadership candidate Lorna Slater has said.
SNP leader and First Minister John Swinney announced on Monday that a majority for his party at next year’s election should be enough to secure a second vote on independence, as it was for the first in 2014.
But speaking to the PA news agency, Ms Slater – who was launching her campaign for re-election as party co-leader in Edinburgh – said she does not expect an SNP majority next May.
“This is an old tune that the SNP have been playing,” she said.
“There are several pro-independence parties in the Scottish Parliament – the Greens have been there all along, from the beginning.
“John Swinney, I think, is being a little disingenuous.
“We had a successful pro-independence majority with the Bute House Agreement that the SNP decided to end.”
On her ideas for forcing the UK Government to allow a second referendum, Ms Slater said it is up to those who believe in independence to “build support” for it.
“We do that by setting out what independence looks like and why it’s important,” she said.
Standing against the far-right. We can make a better future in a fairer, greener and independent Scotland. 💚🏳️⚧️🏴🦫 pic.twitter.com/hxvz1J8KKq
— Lorna Slater (@lornaslater) July 30, 2025
“We hear all the time how Brexit has damaged Scotland, it hurts our labour force, meaning business cannot hire employees that they need, it hurts our NHS, we cannot get the carers and workers, and it hurts all of us in our pockets.
“Scottish independence would allow us to build a compassionate asylum system, it would allow us to rejoin the EU, it would allow us to rethink our taxation of wealth, for example.
“Instead of waiting, waiting, waiting for the Government in Westminster to decide what to do, we could make those kinds of decisions here in Scotland, and that’s how we win Scottish independence, by getting more people to share that vision.”
SNP MSP Keith Brown said: “Successive governments have shown that Westminster does not work for Scotland.
“It is clearer than ever that independence is the only change that will actually work for Scotland.
“The strategy set out by the First Minister puts independence at the heart of next year’s election campaign.
“Securing a majority SNP government can be the catalyst to securing an independence referendum, as was the case in 2011.”
He continued: “We will set out an ambitious and radical vision for Scotland’s future – showing that with independence we can use our immense energy resources to raise living standards, power Scotland’s economy and transform public services.”
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