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JOHN Swinney has argued that Scotland should have the right to choose its constitutional future, agreeing that revisiting independence should be treated the same as revisiting Brexit.
Facing questions from backbenchers on Tuesday, Swinney was asked about UK ministers’ proposals for seeking a closer relationship with the EU, and Andy Burnham’s recent comments that the UK could completely rejoin.
Keith Brown, MSP, said: “Andy Burnham has said that the United Kingdom can revisit Brexit 10 years on and in fact, we could, in his words, go all the way and rejoin.
“Does the First Minister agree that the logic of Andy Burnham’s entirely reasonable decision to revisit Brexit must be extended to the future of Scotland, and that, 12 years on, our right to decide must be respected?”
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Swinney said: “I agree with Mr Brown” and referenced Lisa Nandy, the UK culture secretary’s comments that after 10 years of Brexit, its implications should be looked at.
The first minister continued: “I think given the fact that Scotland has been taken out of the European Union against our will, given the fact that we’re now seeing pensions being undermined and pensioners losing out by changes that were solemnly promised by the no campaign, then after a 12-year gap, it is important that Scotland has a right to choose our constitutional future.”
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Pensions featured heavily in questions, with Swinney doubling down on his claims that Scottish pensioners will be £2,000 worse off after changes to the triple lock.
During his speech at the Labour Party conference, the Prime Minister announced that the UK Government would change the triple lock on pensions to fund a National Care Service.
Burnham said pensions would rise either by CPI inflation or a minimum of 2.5%, removing the link to average earnings.
But Swinney highlighted this would come at a cost to older Scots.
He said: “The Scottish Government estimates pensioners in Scotland could receive around 1.3 billion pounds less per year by 2039-40. What this demonstrates is an erosion of the pension settlement that was promised as a guarantee to individuals in 2014.
“Pensioners in Scotland are losing out; the future for pensioners in independence.”
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