An SNP plan to use the next general election as a proxy independence referendum was thrown into confusion today.
John Swinney was forced to backtrack after he used an interview to claim his party would have a mandate to begin negotiating with the UK Government if it won a majority of seats in Scotland.
But the Deputy First Minister later claimed he had misheard the question - and insisted he meant to say the SNP would only have a mandate if it won a majority of votes cast.
