John Swinney has been accused of having “no plan” to achieve Scottish independence after the subject was absent from a recent series of high-profile speeches by the First Minister.
The SNP leader spoke at four set-piece events in January in which he addressed his Government’s plans for fixing the NHS, growing the economy, and tackling child poverty.
Swinney also used the speeches to stress the importance of opposition parties supporting the Budget for the year ahead – something he achieved after securing deals with the Lib Dems, Greens and Alba.
But none of the four events in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Stirling contained the word independence or featured a discussion on why ending the Union could help.
Kenny MacAskill, the interim Alba leader, said: “This just confirms that ‘Full-on John’ is full-stop on independence. No plan, no action and no intention. Yet the need has never been greater.
“The absurdity of an energy-rich land seeing its oil refinery close is met with a whimper by Swinney’s Government. It’s why it has to be Alba for independence next year.”
Swinney has won plaudits for uniting the SNP and halting Labour’s advance in the polls following a brutal 18-month period for the Nationalists.
The First Minister saw his party trounced in Scotland at the general election last year – just weeks after he took charge following the abrupt resignation of Humza Yousaf.
The SNP has since solidified their lead in polls of voting intentions ahead of next year’s Holyrood elections.
But some independence supporters have questioned how best to advance the party’s primary goal.
The Supreme Court dealt a blow to the SNP Government in 2022 – then led by Nicola Sturgeon – when it unanimously ruled the Scottish Parliament did not have the power to hold a second vote on independence without obtaining prior approval from the UK Government.
A series of papers looking at the prospective benefits of independence was then quietly dropped last year amid waning public interest.
A final paper in the series – expected to be a review of the previous efforts – is due to be published by the spring.
The Lib Dems last month claimed independence spending was axed as part of a deal to back the Budget.
Swinney insisted last month he wanted to “finish the task” of independence and said it was an “urgent priority” for him.
He claimed those who favour leaving the UK were “getting closer and closer to Scottish independence”, adding: “I intend to finish the task.”
With no prospect of a second referendum taking place in the near future, Swinney said this would have to be done by persuading more Scots independence is a “compelling proposition”.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “As the First Minister said in his speech on eradicating child poverty, the best outcomes for Scotland will come ‘if we ensure that more of the decisions about Scotland are taken by and for the people of Scotland’ – something that happens with independence.
“The First Minister is setting out a vision of a country free from child poverty with higher living standards and with the powers of independence to create the kind of Scotland we know is possible.”
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