Streeting rules out second Scottish independence referendum as UK has 'had enough chaos'

The UK Health Secretary - who is a close ally of Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar - dismissed the prospect of a future vote on independence when pressed on the issue by LBC's Lewis Goodall.

Pointing to polls which suggest the SNP could clinch a majority in Holyrood in the May election - a result which John Swinney has said would act as a mandate for a second independence referendum as a similar result in 2011 "set a precedent" - Streeting was asked if the UK Labour government would grant one.

But he said: “We are not going to introduce chaos into the UK by having an independence referendum. Absolutely not.

"The SNP would like to make this all about the constitution again to avoid their running on their domestic record.”

Asked how a second referendum could be secured at all he replied: "Well, they're not having one."

Mr Streeting appeared to imply that Labour - which won 37 MPs in Scotland in 2024, while the SNP was reduced to nine - had a mandate not to grant another independence.

He went on: “We’ve had the financial crash, we had years of Tory austerity, we had the catastrophe of Brexit, we’ve had the war in Ukraine, the war in Iran, the Covid pandemic. I think this country’s had enough of chaos.

"And the SNP may well want to further this chaos, but I just say again to people in Scotland, look at the damage that Brexit did when the UK left the European Union. There is a much stronger and older single market here in the UK called the United Kingdom.

"If you think Brexit was bad, imagine what Scexit would do."

He added: "The SNP have been getting an easy ride for far too long. And every time that UK politicians are asked about what's going on in Scotland, we're always drawn into, is it just about whether Scotland's within the United Kingdom or without. And actually, I'm not prepared to let the SNP off the hook.

"I think their record is shameful. You know, the idea that they would be rewarded with a majority, having presided over all of that failure.

"Not a single vote has been cast in that election yet. Four in ten voters are undecided. There's everything to play for. Anas Sawar is the best leader the Scottish Labour Party's had since Donald Dewar and the creation of the modern Scottish Parliament. He is running on a platform of delivering real change for Scotland. Scotland's economy and jobs, Scotland's public services and the NHS. And that's what I hope people will vote for.

"That's obviously up to people in Scotland how they choose to vote. But Anas is running a positive, energetic and fresh campaign. I think that those undecided voters will respond to it."

His comments sparked an angry response from pro-independence supporters and politicians.

On X SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn - who is standing as a candidate in the Holyrood election - said: "[He] doesn’t even realise that he is making the case for an end to the chaos of the UK and a fresh start with independence" and Stephen Gethins, another SNP MP who is looking to swap Westminster for Holyrood said: "So are we doing this on Westminster votes now? Not what Labour said when the SNP won majorities at the three previous Westminster elections. Labour running scared of giving people in Scotland a say on their own future."

SNP Depute Leader Keith Brown said: "The Labour Party is sticking two fingers up at Scottish voters, and unwittingly making the case for independence, by arrogantly seeking to deny democracy.

"The fact that senior Labour Party figures are telling Scottish voters their views and votes don't matter is all the more reason to show them where to go on 7th May by voting SNP.

"The fact is that it will not be Wes Streeting, Keir Starmer or any other Westminster politician who decide Scotland’s future - it will be the people of Scotland. And an SNP majority on 7th May will unlock the fresh start of independence."

Former co-leader of the Scottish Greens Patrick Harvie told Lewis Goodall: "My reaction is obviously one of disappointment but not surprise. The pro-UK parties have consistently failed to answer this basic question - if the people of Scotland wish to have this question put again in a referendum how do they do it?

"They have never been able to answer how Scots can express that wish. Pretty much every pollster says there's more support now for independence than in 2014 and there are huge numbers of young people who weren't able to take part in that vote. Scotland does have the right to make that decision."

He added: "In a parliamentary democracy the basic principle is clear - parties set ouf their policies in manifestos, the public choose and then a majority in parliament should be a mandate to enact those policies and most of the polls are suggesting there could be the biggest ever pro-independence majority in Holyrood."

Asked how an independent Scotland would affect the defence of the British Isles, with the break up of the armed forces, and if Russian leader Vladimir Putin would think it was a good or bad thing, Harive said: Independence is about a better relationship between the polities in these islands and our neighbours in Europe.

"Most of the discussion within European politics is about how to rely less on the US and work together more with Europe in terms of international security."

He added: "I know a great many European countries would welcome Scotland joining the EU, I speak to EU politicians about that regularly, there's a keen appetite for that if Scotland were to vote for independence.

"But this is about the current arrangements, NATO, reliance on the US, information sharing with unreliable allies, the lack of digital independence we have which creates vulnerablities, reliance on a first strike nuclear policy, Scotland would want to take a different direction and wewould find allies in the EU who want to move in that direction as well."

Pushed on whether Putin would welcome or oppose the break up of the UK, Harvie said: "I don't particulaly care what he thinks because he doesn't have a vote. What would take power away from Vladimir Putin is moving much more rapidly away from our reliance on fossil fuels."