John Swinney has claimed that Scottish separation can be delivered within five years.
The First Minister told Sky News that building support for the break-up of the UK will be “what my leadership will be about”.
Pamela Nash, chief executive of pro-UK campaign group Scotland in Union, said:
"Every SNP leader spouts imaginary specific timescales and deadlines for independence in order to encourage their core support.
"But the vast majority of people are absolutely scunnered to hear our brand new first minister immediately start banging on about independence when the SNP have failed in every area of the day job of running Scotland.
"Our NHS is on its knees, child poverty levels are disgraceful, we consistently have the highest number of drug-related deaths in Europe, the education attainment gap has not been closed, and important climate change targets have been abandoned.
An election can never be used as a de facto referendum, and voters will be carefully choosing who to support in this General Election based on the whole range of issues, not just one.
John Swinney said that he would be the First Minister for everyone in Scotland, to build the best future for our country. But the first days of leadership just look like more of the same nationalist rhetoric. We desperately need a First Minister who is laser focussed on the people’s priorities and not the SNP’s.
