The First Minister of Scotland and leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP), John Swinney, has taken advantage of this Saturday's annual congress of the party in Aberdeen to strongly reinvigorate the goal of an independent Scotland.
"The wind is blowing firmly in the sails of the Scottish independence movement. We are winning by a very simple truth. Scotland is ready for independence," Swinney has proclaimed, who in May achieved a fifth consecutive victory for the SNP in the Scottish Parliament elections.
The nationalist leader has argued that secession is the most direct way for Scotland to regain its place in the European Union after Brexit. "We do not have to be trapped in Brexit. Back to the heart of Europe. That is the Scotland I choose," he has emphasized before the party members.
At the same time, Swinney has dismissed the offers from the British Government to expand Scottish self-government, arguing that these proposals do not resolve the underlying debate about Scotland's constitutional fit and would only imply continuing within the United Kingdom.
"Some believe we should be like Manchester. I'm afraid I disagree. Scotland is not a city. We are not a region. We are a nation and soon we will be an independent nation," the SNP leader has insisted, asserting Scotland's national character against any comparison with other areas of the country.
In this context, he has announced the launch of a new political offensive aimed at those who still hesitate about breaking away from London. "Our rivals may not want to admit it, but our campaign for the Scottish independence referendum has already begun. Independence is very, very close," he has warned, positioning the plebiscite as an immediate goal.
With these words, Swinney responds to the British Prime Minister and former mayor of Manchester, Andy Burnham, who on Friday offered from southern Scotland a renewed model of powers and called on policymakers to focus their efforts on everyday issues like the cost of living.
The latest polls, including one from Survation, place the independence option ahead, with 52-48% in favor of secession if undecided voters are excluded. In the 2014 referendum, the continuity in the United Kingdom prevailed by 55 to 45%, while in 2016 Scotland voted 62 to 38% to remain in the EU, a result that did not prevent the exit from the European bloc.