Starmer agrees to meet Swinney in face-to face meeting

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has agreed to meet First Minister John Swinney in a face-to face meeting.

Swinney said it was "particularly welcome" that the prime minister had agreed to meet next month "to discuss a referendum on independence".

However, Downing Street said the meeting was agreed to discuss "shared issues", not the constitution.

It follows a phone call between the pair on Tuesday evening when Sir Keir rang to congratulate Swinney on the SNP's election victory.

Swinney said Sir Keir had agreed to a bi-lateral meeting after the first minister pointed out there were now a record number of pro-independence MSPs.

A spokesman for Downing Street said the prime minister had made it clear to the first minister that his government did "not support independence or another referendum".

In June last year, Sir Keir said he could not imagine another Scottish independence referendum taking place during his time as prime minister.

The SNP won a fifth successive Scottish Parliament election on Thursday, but fell short of their target of an overall majority at Holyrood.

The party won 58 seats, with 65 needed for a majority.

However, overall, there is a majority of MSPs at Holyrood who support Scottish independence - with the SNP and the Greens totalling 73 of the 129 seats.

During the phone call, the prime minister told Swinney he wanted to work together where possible.

The first minister thanked him and made clear his commitment to tackle the cost of living, including through a statutory cap on the price of essential grocery items in large supermarkets.

Swinney also highlighted the potential relevance of the Internal Market Act in that respect.

The face-to-face meeting between the two leaders will take place ahead of a meeting between the leaders of all four UK nations.

A spokesperson for Swinney said: "The first minister is pleased that the prime minister reached out to congratulate him on his emphatic election win and that the prime minister stressed his willingness to work in collaboration with the Scottish government where possible.

"Given the SNP's landslide victory and the fact that the people of Scotland have elected more pro-independence MSPs than at any point in the parliament's history, the previous refusal of the UK government to consider Scotland's right to decide its own future was clearly unsustainable.

"A way forward must be found and so these discussions are welcome."

He added: "Coming alongside Labour MSPs making clear that there must be a way for this question to be resolved, it is now very clear that the momentum is building behind Scotland's right to decide.

"The first minister looks forward to the talks with the UK government, and is confident that the people of Scotland will choose the fresh start of independence."

A Downing Street spokesperson said: "The PM committed to meeting to discuss shared issues including the cost of living.

"As the PM told the first minister, the manifesto this government was elected on was unambiguous that 'Labour does not support independence or another referendum'."

"Our position remains unchanged."

Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay said: "Even by Sir Keir Starmer's dismal standards this is an extraordinary capitulation to John Swinney.

"We warned during the election campaign that if Swinney achieved his self-imposed 'mandate' of an SNP majority, Starmer would be likely to surrender to his referendum demands.

"But for Starmer to entertain talks on the subject when the nationalists haven't even met their own target is downright foolish and reckless."

He added: "If he wasn't so weak, Starmer would have sent Swinney packing and told him to get on with the day job.

"Labour and Reform, who have a pro-independence MSP in their ranks, naively pander to the nationalist obsession of breaking up the UK."

On a day of high pressure for the prime minister, he made time for a call with the first minister - their first conversation since last week's elections.

We know that the first minister raised the issue of another independence referendum.

We know that Sir Keir Starmer agreed to meet John Swinney next month.

Where perspectives differ is up for discussion at that future meeting.

Team Swinney has said that the prime minister has agreed to "discuss a referendum on independence".

Team Starmer has stressed that their position has not changed - that they remain opposed to both independence and another referendum.

My sense is that whatever comes up in their next meeting, this might not be the breakthrough that John Swinney hopes it is.

Given the questions over the prime minister's leadership, it's not certain he will still be in office next month - even though he has insisted he will not resign and that he would fight any formal challenge.