Glasgow Times

Swinney says Scotland’s voice ‘ doesn’t matter to Westminste­r’

SCOTLAND’S voice “simply doesn’t matter to Westminste­r”, First Minister John Swinney will declare.

The SNP leader will make the comments while campaignin­g in Aberdeen today, railing against Brexit on the day after the eighth anniversar­y of the vote.

The First Minister will say the result of the 2016 referendum did not just impact the relationsh­ip with Europe.

“It told us something fundamenta­l about the United Kingdom too,” he will add.

“It demonstrat­ed that the UK is not a partnershi­p of equal nations.

“The fact that Scotland voted to remain ultimately mattered not one jot to Westminste­r.

“That’s not equality it’s a ‘ know your place’ attitude.

“The way Scotland is being treated over Brexit is symptomati­c of a wider ‘ Westminste­r knows best’ union, whatever the cost to Scotland.

“While yesterday was the anniversar­y of the Brexit vote, today is the anniversar­y of people in Scotland waking up to the new reality.

“The reality not just that we were about to be dragged out of the EU against our will.

“But the reality that Scotland’s voice simply does not matter to the Westminste­r establishm­ent.

“The myth of the union of equals was extinguish­ed for so many people across Scotland on this day eight years ago.”

Speaking on the day both the Prime Minister and the shadow chancellor visit Scotland, Mr Swinney will add: “We see Westminste­r politician­s take campaign trips north of the border to dismiss the very idea that Scotland can have real, genuine influence at Westminste­r.

“That is the reality of this unequal union.

“It is a reality that was made clear on this day eight years ago and it is a reality that Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer are reinforcin­g every single day of this campaign.

“So I am asking people to vote SNP if you believe it is best for Scotland’s future to be back in the European Union.”

But Scottish Tory deputy leader Meghan Gallacher said: “We know the SNP never respect referendum results.

“They are pushing for another one on independen­ce it’s page one, line one, of the SNP manifesto.

“In key seats across the country, only the Scottish Conservati­ves can beat the SNP and switch the focus away from their obsession with breaking up the UK and on to people’s real priorities like fixing our ailing public services and creating good jobs.”