Scottish Finance Secretary says current MSP majority meets independence trigger ahead of cross-border talks
Finance Secretary Kate Gilruth argued that the 73 pro-independence MSPs in the Scottish Parliament already satisfy the trigger for another referendum, as she prepares to meet Plaid Cymru and Sinn Féin leaders in Cardiff.
Kate Gilruth told Radio Scotland Breakfast that the 73 pro-independence members of the Scottish Parliament constitute the required trigger for a second independence referendum, insisting no fixed number should be imposed. She described the upcoming Cardiff meeting with the leaders of Plaid Cymru and Sinn Féin as a "hugely significant political moment" and argued that the union is failing to deliver for its peoples. Gilruth called one outlet constitutional arrangement fundamentally broken, noting similar pro-independence sentiment in Northern Ireland and Wales.
The talks come as First Minister John Swinney seeks a Westminster-approved legal route for another vote, despite the Prime Minister’s recent letter stating a referendum remains "off limits". Gilruth interpreted the Prime Minister’s stance as a modest shift, and she contrasted it with Andy Burnham’s more devolution-friendly comments from 2022.
Why it matters
It signals a renewed push for a Scottish independence referendum and broader UK constitutional debate.
How this story developed
- Sep 12 Pro-independence leaders of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland set to sign breakup pact in Cardiff
- Sep 13 The leaders are presenting the Cardiff gathering as a party‑leader dialogue rather than a formal inter‑governmental summit.
- Sep 13 Mary Lou McDonald attended the Cardiff signing and DUP deputy Emma Little‑Pengelly denied O’Neill’s authority to represent Northern Ireland’s first‑ministerial office.
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