That is 0 articles you have read today.
The Aporia is free and carries no advertising, so readers are the only
thing paying for it. If you are getting this much out of it, a small
donation is what keeps it independent.
Daily limit reached
You have read 0 articles today.
That is more than the 15 a day The Aporia gives away,
and well past what it can carry on nothing. Your allowance resets at
midnight.
There is no advertising here and nothing about you is sold, so readers
are the only thing paying for it. If the site is worth this much of
your day, it is worth a few dollars.
Everything else stays open: the
maps, the
directory and
search do
not count against this, and neither does re-opening something you have
already read today.
Russell Findlay, leader of the Scottish Conservatives, plans to criticize Scottish First Minister John Swinney's support for Scottish independence and his meeting with Sinn Féin. Findlay will accuse Swinney of aligning with a political party linked to IRA terrorism and suggest that an independent Scotland would be vulnerable to security threats from China, Russia, and Iran. SNP MSP Alex Kerr responds by defending the SNP’s stance on independence and criticizes the poor performance of the Scottish Conservatives in recent elections.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-03,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Russell Findlay, leader of the Scottish Conservatives, is set to criticize John Swinney, Scotland's First Minister, at the UK Conservative Party conference in Birmingham. Findlay will decry Swinney’s push for a second independence referendum before 2031 and his recent summit with Sinn Féin in Cardiff. He plans to highlight that Sinn Féin has ties to the IRA and mention an IRA bombing during a previous party conference that killed five people, including Muriel Maclean. Findlay also warned that discussions of Scottish independence are “dangerously irresponsible” given current global threats from Russia and Iran. Kemi Badenoch, UK Conservative Party leader, echoed similar sentiments, vowing to stop separatist plans in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
Written for “Scots Independence Debate” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 4 other(s) covering the same event.
Russell Findlay is expected to lambast the idea of Scottish independence and the First Minister’s recent summit with Sinn Féin.
asserted
Findlay → expect → Féin
Mr Findlay is expected to say: “Since Mr Swinney was a teenager, all he’s cared about is breaking up the United Kingdom.
asserted
he → expect → Kingdom
Sorry Mr Swinney, and your new friends in Sinn Féin, but we won’t let that happen.
asserted
that → let → Féin
“I’ve been speaking with families who’ve lost loved ones to IRA terrorism.
asserted
who → speak → terrorism
They’re angry and upset at Scotland’s First Minister forming a pact with the IRA’s former political wing.
asserted
Minister → ’re → wing
“Let’s not forget that Sinn Féin has never denounced the IRA slaughter of innocent men, women, and children.
asserted
Féin → let → men
Or the murder of many brave service men and women, including Scottish soldiers.
“Or the bomb they planted at this very conference in 1984 – murdering five people including Muriel Maclean, the wife of former Scottish Conservative president Sir Donald Maclean.
asserted
they → include → Maclean
Yet Mr Swinney works with them to destroy the United Kingdom.
asserted
Swinney → work → Kingdom
He will add: “Just last week, Putin’s foreign minister was talking up the Cardiff gathering of Swinney, Sinn Féin and Welsh nationalists.
asserted
minister → add → Swinney
That tells you everything you need to know.
asserted
you → tell → everything
A divided UK is a gift to our enemies.
asserted
UK → divide → enemies
“We already know that many of the most noisy and aggressive Scottish nationalists are in fact Iranian regime bots.
“Furiously tweeting about freedom not from Troon or Twechar, but Tehran.
asserted
many → know → Troon
“John Swinney is still backing a proposed Chinese wind turbine factory in the Highlands despite concerns about its threat to national security.”
asserted
Swinney → back → security
Mr Findlay will also discuss jobs at Faslane, international security threats from China, Russia, and Iran, and that these nations would see an independent Scotland as an opportunity.
asserted
nations → discuss → opportunity
Read More
He will conclude his statement by saying: “These totalitarian regimes want a divided United Kingdom.
asserted
regimes → read → Kingdom
And we have SNP politicians who share that aim.
asserted
who → have → aim
They want to shut down Faslane.
asserted
They → want → Faslane
They oppose Britain’s armed forces.
asserted
They → oppose → forces
“Can you imagine what kind of foreign policy an independent SNP-run Scotland might have?
uncertain
Scotland → imagine → policy
“One that puts Sinn Féin over IRA victims, Chinese interests over national security and pro-Palestine posturing over the safety of Scotland’s Jews.”
asserted
that → put → Jews
Commenting, SNP MSP Alex Kerr said: “Nothing will strengthen Scotland’s standing in the world more than becoming an independent country and rejoining the international community in our own right for the first time in over 300 years.
asserted
Nothing → comment → years
“In May of this year the SNP were returned to government for a historic fifth term on a pledge to give the people of Scotland a referendum on independence – while Russell Findlay led his party to its worst ever Scottish Parliament election result.
uncertain
Findlay → return → result
“Russell Findlay is completely obsessed with the SNP, so it’s no surprise he’d rather spend his conference speech talking about us, rather than what he has to offer the people of Scotland – which is clearly very little.”
asserted
which → obsess → Scotland
The Aporia
