JOHN Swinney has said he will push Andy Burnham for the powers to hold a second referendum on Scottish independence.
Scotland’s First Minister is expected to speak to the Prime Minister on Monday evening.
The SNP leader said Keir Starmer’s successor could represent a fresh start for relations between the Scottish and UK governments, which he said had deteriorated over the last year.
Speaking to the Press Association at Bute House, his official residence, the First Minister said he wanted Burnham to devolve energy and economic powers to Scotland.
However, Swinney signalled that he wanted to wait until climate compatibility tests were undertaken before backing or opposing the Jackdaw and Rosebank oil fields.
He said he wanted to engage in a “constructive dialogue” with Burnham but said that securing a route to another referendum would remain a key priority for his Government.
Swinney said: “What I want to do is engage in a constructive dialogue with the Prime Minister about making sure that the mandate I’ve received from the people of Scotland can be turned into reality, and the people of Scotland can have an opportunity to decide their constitutional future through a referendum on independence.”
“We’ve got to respect democracy here,” he added.
“The people of Scotland democratically elected the largest number of members of the Scottish Parliament ever to support the concept of Scottish independence and the right of the people to decide that in a referendum.
“So that’s the approach that I’ll advance with the Prime Minister, and I look forward to doing that to turn the mandate that I received from the people of Scotland into reality.”
The First Minister said Scotland’s energy should be “in Scotland’s hands”, before adding: “That way the energy wealth of Scotland can be used for the benefit of the people of Scotland.”
Swinney also called for the Scottish Parliament to receive greater economic powers, which he described as “vital”.
He said relations with Westminster had deteriorated over the last year as he signalled he did not want Douglas Alexander (below) to return as Scottish secretary in Burnham’s Government.
Asked whether the former Greater Manchester mayor’s premiership could represent a fresh start, the First Minister said it had the “opportunity to be so”, but stressed any reset would have to be “anchored on the principle of mutual respect”.
Swinney said: “My Government will respect the UK Government and its responsibilities, but we expect that to be reciprocated.”
He added: “If I compare the most recent period with the experience of some of the Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak years, that tells you how bad it all was.”
Swinney suggested he did not want to deal with a Scottish secretary and would rather have one-on-one meetings with the Prime Minister himself.
Asked whether the Prime Minister should back granting consent to two major oil and gas fields, Jackdaw and Rosebank, the First Minister said any decision must be based on climate compatibility assessments and energy security.
Swinney said any judgment had to consider both the UK’s legal climate obligations and the continuing need for domestic oil and gas supplies during the transition to net zero.
“We are going to have to use oil and gas for some years to come as part of the journey to net zero,” he said.
Swinney said he acknowledged uncertainty among workers employed in the North Sea sector.
“I understand the uncertainty and the anxiety of North Sea oil and gas workers. I completely understand that,” he said.
“But what we’ve got to make sure is we take decisions that can stand up to scrutiny in the courts, and that’s what the UK Government’s got to do.”
Swinney said the Scottish Government’s position on individual developments would become clearer once climate compatibility assessments had been completed.
