THE Scottish Government has published a draft bill aimed at holding a second independence referendum.
However, as the power to hold any such vote is reserved to Westminster (as confirmed by a UK Supreme Court ruling in 2022) the bill will sit on the shelf until “the necessary powers are secured”, the Scottish Government said.
The bill sets out the question and defines the franchise for an independence vote. It is substantially the same draft bill as was published by Nicola Sturgeon’s government in 2021, before the Supreme Court ruling.
Swinney said: “In May, the largest number of pro-independence MSPs in history voted to support the call for powers to hold a referendum on Scottish independence to be devolved to the Scottish Parliament.
“This draft bill is simple, straightforward and direct. It proposes a clear, unambiguous question, sets out who can vote in the referendum and, once agreed, will include the date. It provides people with certainty.
“What is now needed is the UK Government to respect the voice of the Scottish people and Parliament and transfer the necessary powers.
“Scotland is ready. The Scottish people are ready. It is time the UK Government delivered.”
Swinney then added: “I will have more to say about Scotland’s constitutional future in the coming weeks.
“Fundamentally, nobody will take better decisions about Scotland’s future than the people who live here. That future belongs to the people of Scotland – and no one else.”
The Labour administration has been staunch in its opposition to a vote, with Andy Burnham saying in July that a referendum was “off limits”.
In May, the UK Government rejected Holyrood’s calls for the powers to hold a second referendum within minutes of a vote passing.
After the draft bill was published, a UK Government spokesperson said: "The Prime Minister made clear to the First Minister in their first meeting that another referendum on independence was off the table. It would take our focus away from growing the economy and helping families with the cost of living.
“We will continue working with the Scottish Government and other partners to build a fairer country for everyone.”
The publication of the draft bill comes one day after Swinney faced criticism from within the SNP after a leaked draft conference agenda showed that no motions on Scottish independence strategy had been selected for debate.
"John Swinney has shut down debate in the SNP,” one party insider told The National.
There is still time for the party to change the draft agenda before its national conference, which will be held in Aberdeen from October 15-17.
