JOHN Swinney’s motion calling on the UK Government to devolve powers for a second Scottish independence referendum to be held has been published.
MSPs are set to debate the motion – titled "ambitious for Scotland” – in the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday, May 26, just after 2pm.
The Scottish Greens, Scottish Labour, the Scottish Tories, and Scottish LibDems have all lodged amendments – but so far nothing has been published by Reform UK’s MSPs.
The motion is all but certain to pass with 72 pro-independence MSPs, the SNP and Scottish Greens combined, in the Chamber.
Swinney will open the debate with a 15-minute speech, with MSPs set to debate for over two and a half hours.
The First Minister’s full motion states that “the Parliament welcomes the emphatic democratic mandate for bold and ambitious reform backed by the people of Scotland at the Scottish General Election”.
It adds that the Scottish Government has a “clear commitment” to eradicate child poverty, deliver a stronger NHS and public services, build a prosperous economy, help people with the cost-of-living crisis and tackle climate change.
The motion says that Holyrood “recognises that the people of Scotland have returned the largest pro-independence majority ever elected to the Scottish Parliament; believes this majority affirms a clear mandate that decisions about Scotland’s future are best taken in Scotland and that mandate must be respected”.
Swinney’s motion then “calls on the UK Government to make a Section 30 order under the Scotland Act 1998 to devolve the powers to the Scottish Parliament to hold a referendum on Scottish independence, and agrees that the Parliament is at its best when it works together in pursuit of a country that can be confident in its future.”
The Scottish Greens – who called on Swinney to honour his promise to hold an independence vote on the first full sitting day of the parliamentary term – lodged an amendment by co-leader Ross Greer which adds on to the end of the First Minister’s motion.
It says the most “effective way” to grow support for Scottish independence and meet the challenges facing Scotland is “through more effective use of existing devolved powers”.
Noting that no single party holds a majority in the Parliament, Greer’s amendments adds that there is “a clear majority for progressive values, and agrees that, if all progressive parties work constructively and collaboratively, Scotland can be a fairer, greener and kinder country where household costs are reduced, where wealth is distributed more equally and where climate and natural environment are protected.”
Unionist parties have also lodged amendments to the motion that seeks to strip out calls for a Section 30 order.
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar’s amendment instead says the people of Scotland want the Scottish Government “to focus on the issues that impact their day-to-day lives” and that the priority should be on the NHS, making life more affordable, and growing the economy.
It adds: “Believes that this ambitious future can and should be achieved through the devolved powers of the Parliament and rejects any attempt by the Scottish Government to delay this work by dedicating resources towards returning to divisive arguments of the past."
Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay’s amendment also seeks to remove the calls for a Section 30 order, adding that the party “urges the Scottish Government to drop its demands to hold a second independence referendum, and calls for the Scottish Government to drop its position of a presumption against new oil and gas licences, as outlined in its Draft Energy Strategy published in the last session of the Parliament."
The Scottish LibDems amendment, lodged by Alex Cole-Hamilton, notes that Swinney said that he would pursue independence if the SNP secured an overall majority of MSPs, but as they only returned 58 parliamentarians rather than 65 “the Scottish Government must now focus on fixing the NHS and care, helping people with the cost of living crisis, fixing the roads and the ferries and getting Scottish education back to its best, in order to deliver the change that Scotland deserves."
It comes as independence supporters were urged to convene at the Scottish Parliament following the vote for a rally.
