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Scotland 'not like Manchester', Swinney says in dig at PM Burnham
Image source: Getty Images
Image caption: John Swinney delivered his keynote speech to the SNP conference in Aberdeen
By Angus Cochrane
Senior political journalist
Published 17 October 2026, 00:00 BST
Updated 8 minutes ago
John Swinney has taken aim at those who think Scotland should be just like Manchester as he vowed Scotland would soon be an independent nation.
In a closing SNP conference speech that did not mention Prime Minister Andy Burnham by name, Swinney hit back at the former Greater Manchester mayor after he visited Scotland on Friday.
Swinney, addressing party members in Aberdeen, also announced that the country's bus network would be brought under public control by the end of the parliamentary term in 2031.
Swinney made further pledges to extend a £2 bus fare cap to the north east of the country, launch an independence campaign, fund anti-racism initiatives, and tackle misogyny in schools.
John Swinney tells SNP conference 'Scotland is ready to be independent'
Burnham invites Swinney to work together on 'deeper Scottish devolution'
Published 1 day ago
Swinney began and ended his speech by talking about the constitution, saying that "the stars are aligning" for supporters of Scottish independence.
He pointed to the SNP's election victory in May. The result delivered a record number of pro-independence MSPs at Holyrood - though the proportion of pro-independence votes decreased from about 50% in 2021 to about 41% this year.
The Scottish government is hoping to hold a second referendum by 2031.
Burnham, who would need to agree to a vote, has told Swinney such a move was "off limits".
Taking aim at the Labour leader, the first minister said:
*"Some think we should just be like Manchester. Well, I'm afraid I disagree.
Scotland is no city. We are no region. We are a nation, and soon we will be an independent nation."*
SNP 'war chest'
Swinney cited the signing of a non-binding agreement between the nationalist first ministers of Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland last month, vowing that no Westminster government had the right to "block democracy".
He also said the SNP would launch its "most sophisticated" independence campaign yet, backed by the party's "six-figure war chest".
The SNP leader said the campaign, called Choose Scotland, is to include a national day of action, digital and broadcast adverts, and an independence survey delivered to almost 1.5m people.
Swinney told party members it would offer hope and ambition and that independence would deliver "the best possible future" for Scots.
Ending his speech, the SNP leader told the audience that his youngest son Matthew served as his inspiration to make Scotland "future fit for our children".
Image source: PA Media
Image caption: Andy Burnham has called for greater devolution in Scotland
Swinney's address to the SNP conference came the day after Burnham made his first major speech in Scotland since moving into Downing Street.
The prime minister insisted he wanted to work together on giving more power to local communities.
Speaking in Motherwell, the Labour leader said he wanted to "move beyond the old politics of conflict" as he offered to work with the SNP to deepen devolution in Scotland.
Burnham told MPs earlier this year that referendums would be considered in both Scotland and Northern Ireland.