Swinney predicts SNP majority at Holyrood election

Swinney predicts SNP majority at Holyrood electionJust nowShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleJohn Swinney tells Laura Kuenssberg he is 'confident' of an SNP majority in May's electionFirst Minister John Swinney has told BBC News he is "confident" that the SNP will win a majority at next month's Scottish Parliament election.Recent polling suggests that the party is on track to retain its status as Holyrood's largest party, having been in power for almost 20 years.In an interview for Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Swinney made his boldest prediction yet - claiming the SNP will win the 65 seats it needs for a majority. Such a result, he insists, would provide a mandate for a second independence referendum. Scotland's other largest parties have urged voters to back them to prevent an SNP majority, or accused the first minister of bluffing. Looking ahead to the 7 May election, Swinney told Kuenssberg: "I think we will get a majority."He added: "I'm confident to predict it and that's what I'm focused on achieving." Swinney denies SNP grocery price cap is 'potty gimmick'Swinney says Scottish independence referendum could be held in 2028The Holyrood voting system is a mix of first-past-the-post and proportional representation - making it harder for a party to secure a majority than in a Westminster election, for instance. Yet the SNP have proved it can be done - winning a majority in 2011 that paved the way for the 2014 independence referendum. The party also came just one seat short of a majority in the last Holyrood election, in 2021. Scotland voted by 55% to 45% to remain in the UK in 2014, but the SNP insists another majority would again open the door to a referendum.Such a vote would have to be signed off by the UK government, though Labour ministers have repeatedly ruled out a vote in the foreseeable future. Asked last week about the prospect of a referendum, UK Health Secretary Wes St...