Why independence will once again be 'central' to SNP's 2026 election campaign

John Swinney says independence will be “central” to the SNP’s 2026 election campaign.

Since Mr Swinney became First Minister a year ago, independence has dropped down the list of the Scottish Government’s priorities in favour of improving the NHS and tackling child poverty.

In 2026, the Bationalists are hoping to cling on to power and remain the largest party in Holyrood.

Now Mr Swinney says the argument for Scotland leaving the UK will be a heavy feature of this election campaign.

John Swinney and others mark the tenth anniversary of the 2014 referendum in September. Scottish independence remains the over-riding consideration for SNP politicians (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell) | Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

He told the BBC’s The Sunday Show: “We were told we didn’t need independence, just a Labour government and it will all get better.

“Their first act was to take away winter fuel payments from pensioners in Scotland. My Government intervened to restore those payments, but that is an illustration that it doesn’t matter if it is a Tory government or a Labour government, Westminster doesn’t work for Scotland.

Subscribe to the Steamie newsletter for the best daily political analysis

“That’s why we need independence, because our economic challenges will be solved by being independent and a member of the EU.”

Earlier this week Mr Swinney set out his Programme for Government, which included a promise to publish one more independence paper on the economic benefits.

Numerous papers, which set out the SNP’s vision for Scotland post-independence, were published by Mr Swinney’s predecessors Nicola Sturgeon and Humza Yousaf.

However, no papers have been developed since Mr Swinney took office.

Despite this apparent move away from independence campaigning, Mr Swinney has managed to stabilise his party’s fortunes in the polls and recover from the SNP’s defeat in the 2024 general election.

During last year’s general election campaign, Mr Yousaf said independence was “page one, line one” of the SNP’s manifesto. When Mr Swinney was asked if he would adopt a similar approach, he said: “Rather than going down a route like that, I would simply say the argument for independence will be central to the SNP’s election campaign for 2026.

“Over the course of the next 12 months I will illustrate why Scotland is better with independence. We are seeing first hand the actions of the Labour government in Westminster, following on from a Conservative government, and that is undermining living standards in Scotland.

“Independence is the only way Scotland can overcome these negative impacts on living standards.”