Achi news desk-
Alba accused the new SNP leader of “de-prioritizing” the constitution.
Alyn Smith, SNP MP for Stirling, said he believed the position had been “really effective in focusing the government on getting the independence white papers out the door.”
READ MORE: John Swinney ministers for independence
Writing in the pro-independence newspaper The National, Mr Swinney said the Scottish Government needed “substance”, “not just process.”
“And as the Scottish Government believes that independence offers the best future for Scotland, every Cabinet Secretary and minister – not just one – is responsible for helping to ensure that better future.
“As a party we will use every electoral opportunity to promote the cause. The next such opportunity will be the upcoming UK General Election.
“The SNP will go into that election on a manifesto which will say on page one, line one: ‘Vote SNP for Scotland to become an independent country.’ “Between now and then there is a crucial job for the SNP: to show the people of Scotland that gaining independence is not something apart from their main concerns.”
The creation of the post of minister for independence was one of Humza Yousaf’s key promises during the SNP leadership contest last year.
Responsibilities included “independence strategy, coordination and parliamentary coordination about devolution, independence and the constitutional future of Scotland, communication with people, businesses and organizations about devolution, independence and the constitutional future of Scotland”.
However, the position – which came with a £32,000 pay rise for Cumbernauld and Kilsyth MLA – had been controversial.
One of Mr Hepburn’s main roles was to produce Building and New Scotland’s independence prospectus. The Scottish Government has confirmed that the publication of those papers will continue.
The news that the ministerial portfolio had been removed came late on Thursday evening when the Scottish Government revealed details of Mr Swinney’s junior ministerial appointments.
Mr Swinney’s full team now includes 11 cabinet secretaries and 14 ministers, down from the 10 Cabinet Secretaries and 18 ministers in the Humza Yousaf administration.
Among the other posts to be abolished are the two held by the Scottish Gardens and the Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development.
Kaukab Stewart who held the post is now Minister for Equality.
Mr Swinney has also brought Ivan McKee back into government. He quit last year after Mr Yousaf offered him a “lesser job” than the one he had under Nicola Sturgeon.
Glasgow Provan MSP – who was briefly Kate Forbes’ campaign manager during the SNP leadership contest in 2023 – will be Minister for Public Finance.
Tom Arthur previously held that position. He has been moved to work under Ms Forbes as Minister for Employment and Investment.
Although there has been little movement at the highest level of government, with Mr Swinney keeping all of Mr Yousaf’s Cabinet Secretaries in place, there have been casualties among the younger ranks.
Emma Roddick, who was minister for equalities, migration and refugees, Joe Fitzpatrick, who had been minister for empowerment and local government planning, and George Adam, who was previously parliamentary business minister, have all “given the superior to their previous roles.”
Chris McEleny, general secretary of Alba, said: “Humza Yousaf created the role of Minister for independence so that it looked like his Government was acting on independence.
“We are in a constitutional deadlock at the moment. John Swinney has said that his independence strategy is the same as Humza Yousaf’s – a strategy which the SNP’s oldest Member of Parliament, Peter Wishart, had labeled ‘a complete mess’.”
“The new SNP Government has made the decision to de-prioritise independence in order to try to expand support for itself within parliament.
“Instead of appealing to unionists, the Prime Minister should be reaching out to the leader of the Alba Party in Holyrood Ash Regan ASA to promote efforts to drive the case for independence forward.”
The decision was welcomed by the Lib Dems.
Willie Rennie said: “For months I have been campaigning to free the Cumbernauld One from the drudgery of producing independence paper after independence paper that nobody reads.
“I am very pleased to say that that goal has now been achieved.
“The Scottish Government needs to have a laser focus on the issues that really matter, such as tackling long waits for healthcare and violence in our schools.”
