John Swinney has been accused of “grandstanding” on independence over his job as First Minister.
Mr Swinney flew to Cardiff on Monday to meet with Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth and Sinn Féin vice-president Michelle O’Neill – the first ministers of Wales and Northern Ireland – where he predicted Andy Burnham would be the “last Prime Minister of the United Kingdom”.
Reform UK’s leader in Scotland Malcolm Offord accused Mr Swinney of shirking his responsibilities in Scotland to attend the summit.
“In the 12 years since 2014, the SNP could have used their devolved powers to make Scotland the most successful part of the UK,” Lord Offord said during First Minister’s Questions on Thursday.
“It could have spent 12 years to answer the big four questions on separation – on currency, on pensions, on defence and on borders.
“But instead, what do we get? An economy with no growth, our world-famous education trashed, NHS Scotland on its knees, our roads and ferries in chaos, uncontrolled immigration upsetting our communities, the police starved of cash, local councils about to be butchered, welfare at an all-time high, taxation at an all-time high, and a black hole of £5 billion, despite a record block grant of £26 billion.
“John Swinney cannot blame Westminster for this omnishambles, it is entirely homegrown.
“This debacle was created by the SNP, so how can John Swinney blame Westminster and say Westminster is broken when Holyrood is in such a mess?
“Is the real reason that John Swinney went to Cardiff because he would rather grandstand the media than face the uncomfortable truth that he is failing in his four priorities?
“Scotland does not want a referendum anytime soon, so will the First Minister please honour Scotland’s wish to leave this for a generation?”
It suggests that he knows he's got something to fear
Responding, the First Minister said: “It is really quite remarkable that Malcolm Offord, who seems to think he knows the views of the people of Scotland better, having lost the election when I in fact won the election, seems to be in a very agitated state about the prospect of Scottish independence.
“It suggests that he knows he’s got something to fear.
“The people of Scotland, in increasing numbers, as demonstrated by recent opinion polls, support the concept of Scottish independence and why people in Scotland want that choice.
“I am going to make sure the people of Scotland have that choice in this parliamentary term.”
The First Minister also faced criticism during FMQs from Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay, who hit out at his meeting with the leadership of Sinn Féin. The party’s president Mary Lou McDonald was also present for the talks in Cardiff.
“John Swinney is now working with Sinn Féin to break up our country,” Mr Findlay blasted.
“Why should those maimed or bereaved by the IRA move on when the SNP refuses to move on?”
The First Minister stressed he had “always expressed” sympathy to the victims of terrorism, as he added he had “accepted in good grace” the result of the 2014 vote on independence.
But he added: “People in this country would be surprised if I didn’t stick to the principle reason why I entered politics.
“I entered politics because I became convinced that the people that are best placed to decide the future of our country are the people who choose to live here in Scotland.
“That’s why we need to have a choice about Scotland’s future in a referendum, and I will deliver that in this parliamentary term.”
Mr Findlay said that showed the SNP “only cares about one thing – making Scotland poorer and weaker by leaving the United Kingdom”.
He asked the First Minister why his “constitutional obsession” is “more important than fixing public services”.
But Mr Swinney said with Mr Findlay attacking the First Minister on the issue of independence, it showed a “merger is under way” between the Conservatives and Reform.
“It will be some marriage of convenience, between the Conservative Party and Reform, with some of the stuff that they all come out with,” he added.