John Swinney has been told to abandon his doomed 'day one' push for Scottish independence regardless of the election result. With polls pointing to an SNP minority and UK ministers ruling out another referendum, opposition parties urged him to end the 'constitutional chaos'.
Swinney's Independence Plan
The First Minister placed breaking up Britain at the heart of his plan for the first 100 days of a re-elected SNP Scottish Government. He claimed only an SNP majority would lead to a fresh vote, arguing the party's 2011 landslide set a 'precedent' for securing referendum powers from Westminster. However, his aides admitted he would use civil servants and public money even if he fell short and needed the Greens to muster a pro-separation majority.
Opposition Reactions
As voting closed on Thursday night, Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay said: 'The Scottish Conservatives have given it their all in this campaign to encourage voters to stop an SNP majority and Swinney's push for another referendum. Whatever the result, John Swinney should focus on what really matters instead of obsessing over independence. People want the parliament to focus on the cost-of-living crisis and fixing our public services, not more constitutional chaos.'
Scottish Liberal Democrat MP Wendy Chamberlain added: 'Whoever is First Minister, they need to park constitutional grievance mongering and get on with urgent matters like helping hundreds of thousands on waiting lists and tackling the cost of living. The Nationalists' refusal to rule out spending the next parliament on independence shows how out of touch they are.'
Election Day Details
All 73 constituencies are being counted from 9am Friday, with full results including eight regional list calculations expected by early evening. A low turnout could mean close results and potential recounts. With Reform UK splitting the anti-SNP vote, a fractured parliament appears likely. Party leaders visited polling stations on Thursday: Swinney voted in Burrelton, Perthshire; Findlay cycled to his polling station in Glasgow; Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar voted in Pollokshields with his family; Reform UK Scotland leader Malcolm Offord cast his ballot in Edinburgh; Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton voted with his wife and dog in Edinburgh; and Scottish Greens co-leader Gillian Mackay voted in Falkirk.
Campaign Analysis
Despite 19 years of SNP governance, the Nationalists have topped opinion polls throughout the six-week campaign, though their vote share is expected to slump from 2021 levels. Scottish Labour was held back by a drab campaign, while Sarwar failed to distance himself from the Peter Mandelson scandal. Greens co-leader Gillian Mackay said: 'People want change. The polls show we could be on the verge of a historic result.' Findlay concluded: 'Our MSPs will demand the next parliament focuses on the cost-of-living crisis rather than constitutional chaos.'
