Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay has warned voters that an SNP majority in May’s election would see a renewed push for independence take centre stage at Holyrood.
Speaking in Glasgow on 23 March 2026, he said John Swinney is “deadly serious” about securing another referendum and would make it his main priority if the SNP wins outright control.
The comments come as parties begin to set out their positions ahead of the election, with independence once again expected to be a defining issue.
Findlay pointed to recent remarks from the First Minister suggesting a majority would give the SNP a mandate to pursue a referendum.
Russell Findlay said:
“John Swinney is increasingly confident of winning an outright majority and he is 100-per-cent clear about what that means.
“He says he has a ‘secret plan’ to achieve a referendum.
“Nothing else will matter to him and his party.
“If there’s one thing I want you to take from this morning, it is this: we must not sleepwalk back in time to 2011.
“We must not allow the SNP to win a majority of seats on May the 7th.
“Because if they do, they will start agitating to break up Britain on May the 8th.
“Be in no doubt.
“The threat is real.”
The Conservative leader used the speech to frame the election as a choice between competing priorities, with his party focusing on the cost of living, tax and economic growth.
He argued that independence is not a top concern for most voters, pointing to polling suggesting it ranks below issues such as household costs and the wider economy.
At the same time, he said the SNP would continue to prioritise constitutional change if given the opportunity.
The intervention highlights a familiar divide in Scottish politics, where independence remains central to the SNP’s purpose while unionist parties continue to campaign against it.
With the election approaching, the issue is once again shaping the tone of debate across Scotland.
Voters will be asked to weigh economic pressures, public services and constitutional questions as parties make their case in the weeks ahead.
The warning from Findlay sets out a clear line of attack, but also underscores the long running reality that independence remains a core question in Scottish politics.
The Scottish Conservative leader has warned an SNP majority would bring a renewed push for independence, as the election campaign begins to sharpen around familiar dividing lines.
