Scotland will vote for independence when Socts are convinced it is a “compelling and demonstrable” proposition, the First Minister has said.

Speaking to supporters and journalists gathered at an event in Edinburgh to mark the tenth anniversary of the referendum, John Swinney reflected on the vote, which he claimed had “left an overwhelmingly positive legacy on our country.”

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In 2014, 55% of Scots voted to remain part of the UK. Although his side lost, support for independence has remained relatively stable ever since.

“We have had a long, dark decade – a decade of austerity, of Brexit, of a cost of living crisis and a global pandemic," he told supporters. 

“As a nation, we can’t just regret the things that we cannot do – it is time for us to start focusing again on the things that we can,” he said.

“And that is exactly what we are going to do. It starts by reawakening the sense of optimism, of hope and of possibility that was so prevalent throughout Scotland in 2014”.

Mr Swinney argued that the referendum had led to more powers over tax and welfare for Holyrood which “made a difference in the lives of people in Scotland”.

He said: “People can see as a consequence of the pressure to get more powers here in Scotland we have added to the achievements and the strengths we have already put in place.

“People can see the positive impact of decisions being taken here in Scotland.”

He added that the “challenge” for independence supporters is now to convince more Scots that their priorities could be better addressed outside of the UK.

Mr Swinney added: “I think we are closer to achieving that than we were in 2014.”

He argued that the referendum had shown that “constitutional change delivers real change.”

(Image: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

In the wake of the referendum, there was a jump in support for the SNP, with the party returning 56 MPs at the 2015 election.

However, it has struggled in recent months and was roundly defeated at the 2024 general election, winning just nine seats.

With a Holyrood election looming, he attacked Labour, attempting to contrast their promises of change to the “real change” he said had been delivered in Scotland because of the post-referendum powers.

“For ten years – ten long years – Labour told us we don’t need independence. All we need to do is get rid of the Tories.

“Well, it’s taken Keir Starmer less than ten weeks to completely demolish that argument.”

“The problem for Scotland is not a just an incredibly damaging Westminster Tory Government,” he said.

“We now have an incredibly damaging Westminster Labour Government.

“There is a pattern here. The problem for Scotland is government from Westminster.”

Asked how he would secure independence, Mr Swinney said the SNP had to show it provided a solution to the everyday challenges Scotland faced by Scots.

He said independence had to be established as a “compelling and demonstrable” proposition.

“When we boost support for independence we will be able to deliver independence," he added.

Asked specifically how that would happen, the First Minister said the UK Government would be unable to "turn its back on the democratic wishes of the people of Scotland."

“Our priority is to build support for independence," he added.

He said “a Westminster government that denies the democratic choices of the people of Scotland” was “an unsustainable position”.

Speaking to BBC Radio Scotland, Labour's Douglas Alexander said the general election showed  Scotland “genuinely has moved on" from the constitutional debate.

“To be fair to the 45% , a number of them genuinely and sincerely believed a vote for independence was a way to secure change and what we actually saw on 4 July was an overwhelming desire for change being channelled into vote for the Labour party not the SNP.”

During the speech, Mr Swinney also said he believes voters in Northern Ireland will vote for unification with the Republic of Ireland.

The comment came after Nicola Sturgeon told the BBC a "wider shake-up" of the UK’s constitution was imminent.

Asked about her future hopes for independence, Ms Sturgeon said: “I believe that, perhaps as part of a wider shake-up of UK governance, the reunification of Ireland, perhaps, more autonomy in Wales, that I think we will see Scotland become an independent country.

"I'll certainly campaign and advocate for that for as long as I've got breath in my body.”

Asked if he believed with his predecessor’s prediction, Mr Swinney said: “Do I think they’ll both happen?

“Yes, I do. So I agree with that point very much.

“I think the tide and the pattern of those debates is moving decisively and emphatically in that direction.”