Scotland is closer to independence than it was in 2014, the First Minister has insisted.
SNP leader John Swinney made the claim at an event marking the 10th anniversary of the historic ballot – which saw 55% of voters reject independence and support remaining part of the UK.
Mr Swinney hailed the referendum as a “moment of tremendous significance” in Scotland’s recent history, claiming the country was “truly buzzing” during the campaign.
A decade on, he said independence supporters must seek to recapture that “sense of hope, of optimism and of possibility that was so prevalent 10 years ago”.
📢 Today marks 10 years since the Independence Referendum.
🙌 The referendum captured the imagination of the entire country, and Scotland was bursting with hope and optimism.
🏴 Let’s commit to rediscovering that spirit and taking our positive vision to every part of Scotland. pic.twitter.com/GnzHJVoqMq
— Yes (@YesScot) September 18, 2024
His comments come as the SNP seeks to recover from defeat in the 2024 general election – the first poll in Scotland it has lost since 2010.
Despite a result which saw SNP MPs fall in number from 48 in 2019 to just nine, Mr Swinney said Scotland is closer to independence now than it was a decade ago – because of the powers that came to Holyrood in the aftermath of the referendum.
The Scottish Parliament gained powers over income tax and welfare spending in Scotland, with Mr Swinney saying as a consequence “we have made a difference in the lives of people in Scotland”.
Speaking at the event in Edinburgh, he added: “People can see as a consequence of the pressure to get more powers here in Scotland we have added to the achievements and the strengths we have already put in place.
“People can see the positive impact of decisions being taken here in Scotland.”
He added that the “challenge” for independence supporters is now to convince more Scots that their priorities could be better addressed outside of the UK.
Mr Swinney said: “I think we are closer to achieving that than we were in 2014.”
Stressing that Scotland “could be taking better decisions than Westminster”, the SNP leader added: “Our job is to make independence relevant to the everyday concerns of every citizen in Scotland.”
