Scottish Independence Not ‘First Priority,’ Says Starmer

While the prime minister focuses on economic stability and defence, John Swinney sharpens his independence pitch ahead of crucial Holyrood elections.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer speaks with Scotland's First Minister John Swinney during the Council of the Nations and Regions, the first gathering for metro mayors and first ministers of devolved administrations, in Edinburgh on Oct. 11, 2024. Andy Buchanan/PA

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said that Scottish independence has not been raised as a top priority in discussions with First Minister John Swinney, despite the latter recently relaunching a campaign for a second referendum on the issue.

Speaking during a visit to Scotland ahead of Thursday’s Hamilton, Larkhall, and Stonehouse by-election, Starmer told Radio Scotland’s “Good Morning Scotland” that his talks with Swinney had centred on more immediate concerns such as jobs, energy, national security, and the cost of living crisis.

“We got a big election win last year on the basis that we would stabilise the economy and ensure that on that foundation we built a stronger Scotland in a stronger United Kingdom and that’s what I intend to do.

“Nobody’s raising that with me as their first priority, certainly in the discussions I’m having with the first minister,” he said.

His comments come less than a year before the next Scottish Parliament elections, where the pro-independence Scottish National Party (SNP) is leading in opinion polls.

But Starmer has ruled out that a strong result for the SNP would change his government’s position.

Swinney Rallies for Independence

Swinney, who became first minister in May last year, has sought to rekindle momentum behind the independence movement.

Speaking last month in Edinburgh, he said that Scotland is being treated as an “afterthought” under Westminster rule, accusing Starmer’s government of fostering a sense of “disaffection and alienation” among Scots.

He has also pledged to scrap the two-child benefit cap and has been critical of Labour’s cuts to winter fuel payments (WFP), which he says disproportionately harm vulnerable pensioners.

The government’s recent suggestion of reviewing WFP cuts prompted criticism among SNP members, reigniting demands for Scottish independence.

SNP MP Seamus Logan criticised the policy, which he said disregards the needs of 900,000 Scottish pensioners.

“This is exactly why we need independence,” he said.

Swinney has also warned that the rise of Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party underscores the urgency for Scotland to take control of its own future, despite polling figures showing Reform on course to finish second in the Holyrood election.

“The SNP will confront Nigel Farage, not cosy up to him. With independence, people in Scotland would always be in charge of our future, not Westminster governments that ignore our values,” Swinney said on Monday.

Referendum Debate

Scottish nationalists lost the 2014 independence referendum by 55 to 45 percent, and the UK government has repeatedly blocked efforts to stage another vote.

A 2022 Supreme Court ruling confirmed that Holyrood cannot unilaterally legislate for a second referendum without Westminster’s consent.

Although the issue has since receded on the national agenda, support for independence remains resilient.

A recent Norstat poll for The Sunday Times found that 54 percent of respondents backed independence when undecided voters were excluded.

SNP MP Stephen Gethins said on Tuesday that it was “disappointing” and “arrogant” for Starmer to suggest that the matter of independence was settled.

“This shouldn’t be an issue that’s decided by one person at Downing Street or elsewhere. This should be a matter for the people of Scotland,” he said.

Meanwhile, SNP Communications Officer David Mitchell called on unionist parties to clearly define what conditions would trigger another referendum, arguing that a transparent democratic path is in everyone’s interest.

However, opposition to a second vote remains entrenched among unionist politicians.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has said the focus of the next Parliament should be clearing NHS backlogs, not holding another referendum.

He also accused Swinney of using Reform as a political distraction from the SNP’s domestic record.

Reform itself stated on social media that “Scotland doesn’t need independence. Scotland needs Reform.”

Defence Spending Highlights Policy Divide

Starmer’s visit to Scotland also coincided with the launch of a Strategic Defence Review in Glasgow.

The UK plans to invest £15 billion in nuclear warheads and construct six new munitions factories.

Given Scotland’s role as host of the Faslane Naval Base—home to Britain’s Trident nuclear submarines—the expansion could raise tensions with the SNP and Scottish Green Party, both of which have long opposed nuclear weapons on Scottish soil.

Starmer has defended the deterrent, previously telling the Commons that “if ever there was a time to reaffirm support for the nuclear deterrent, it is now.”

In contrast, Swinney has called Trident an “inhibitor” to addressing real military threats and suggested the money would be better spent on conventional forces.

While defence remains a reserved issue under UK constitutional arrangements, the nuclear debate reflects broader divisions between London and Edinburgh, divisions that could once again sharpen as the 2026 Holyrood election approaches.

PA Media contributed to this report.