Swinney challenges opposition to back Scotland’s ‘right to decide’

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The motion, stating “Scotland is a nation that has a right to decide its own future,” will be debated tomorrow, little over a week since the devolved leaders of Scotland, Wales and the six counties joined forces to call on the British government not to block moves to break with the British state and rejoin the EU.

Mr Swinney said: “Scotland is not a region — it is a proud and ancient nation, and that our future is for us to decide: this is a principle that every MSP in the chamber, regardless of their view on what that future should look like, should be able to sign up to, so there is no reason why this motion cannot pass unanimously.”

A British government spokesman responded: “The Prime Minister has been clear that another independence referendum is off limits, because it would be a distraction to our vital work of growing the economy and helping families with the cost of living.”