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Russell Findlay, Scottish Conservative leader, reported that families of soldiers killed by the IRA are furious over First Minister John Swinney's decision to meet with Sinn Fein at an independence summit in Cardiff. Findlay claims these families condemn Swinney’s refusal to acknowledge Sinn Fein’s ties to terrorist acts and demand that the party denounce all IRA violence. During the summit, Swinney sat beside Sinn Fein officials Michelle O'Neill and Mary Lou McDonald, discussing separatist goals for Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-06,
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, will speak at the Conservative Party’s UK conference in Birmingham, criticizing John Swinney, Scotland's First Minister, for pushing an independence referendum. Findlay argues that discussions about breaking up the United Kingdom are irresponsible and dangerous, especially given current threats from countries like Russia and Iran. He also condemns Swinney for forming a summit with Sinn Féin in Cardiff, calling it a "disgrace" since Sinn Féin has ties to the IRA and its violent past. Findlay claims that families of Scottish soldiers killed by the IRA are furious at Swinney's refusal to acknowledge these connections. The conference aims to address perceived threats from separatist movements in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
Written for “Scots Independence Debate Heats Up” on 2026-10-06,
grounded in this article and the 5 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The article's own words the score was based on. Each is quoted
verbatim and was checked against the article text before being
stored, so you can find it in the original.
-
They are furious. They believe that the First Minister for all of Scotland is not even willing to acknowledge what Sinn Fein has represented and in some ways continues to represent.
right emphasizes families' anger at Swinney's stance
-
This is a political party soaked in the blood of Scottish soldiers and the blood of innocent men, women and children and John Swinney cannot just gloss over that or overlook that in his pursuit of separation.
right strongly criticizes Swinney's relationship with Sinn Fein
-
I think he at the very least owes it to them to say why this is justifiable. I would lay down the challenge to him today to come out explicitly and say that I’m entitled to work with the democratically elected party of Sinn Fein but I would urge Sinn Fein to denounce the tactics of the IRA, the murder and the terrorism and the bombings of the IRA.
right calls for Swinney to demand condemnation of IRA
Leaning: leans strongly right for article 60693 (high confidence, 3 verified quotes) · logged 2026-10-06
Claims extracted
20
claim-shaped sentences
Uncertain
10%
2 of 20 hedged
Leaning
Leans strongly right
of the writing, not the subject · beta estimate
Correction & hedging signals
64.9
corrections and hedging in what we collected;
not a measure of accuracy
Outlets on this story
6
Politics
Narrative spread
1
articles carrying this framing
Families of Scottish soldiers killed by the IRA are ‘furious’ at John Swinney’s decision to stand shoulder to shoulder with Sinn Fein at a separatist summit, according to Russell Findlay.
uncertain
Families → kill → Findlay
The Scottish Conservative leader said he has heard directly from families of IRA victims who have condemned the First Minister’s failure to acknowledge the nationalist party’s links to the terrorist organisation.
asserted
who → say → organisation
He claimed that Sinn Fein is a party ‘soaked in blood’ but Mr Swinney has refused to call for them to condemn all terrorist acts.
asserted
them → claim → acts
At the summit on independence in Cardiff last month, Mr Swinney sat alongside Sinn Fein’s vice president Michelle O’Neill and president Mary Lou McDonald, as well as Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth, to talk up the case for separation in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
asserted
Swinney → sit → Scotland
Mr Findlay said he has spoken to multiple families of military personnel who have died because of IRA terrorism.
asserted
who → say → terrorism
He told the Mail: ‘They are furious.
asserted
They → tell → Mail
They believe that the First Minister for all of Scotland is not even willing to acknowledge what Sinn Fein has represented and in some ways continues to represent.
asserted
Fein → believe → ways
‘This is a political party soaked in the blood of Scottish soldiers and the blood of innocent men, women and children and John Swinney cannot just gloss over that or overlook that in his pursuit of separation.
asserted
Swinney → soak → separation
‘I think he at the very least owes it to them to say why this is justifiable.
asserted
this → think → them
I would lay down the challenge to him today to come out explicitly and say that I’m entitled to work with the democratically elected party of Sinn Fein but I would urge Sinn Fein to denounce the tactics of the IRA, the murder and the terrorism and the bombings of the IRA.
asserted
I → lay → IRA
‘They find it inappropriate, hurtful and unsavoury that he’s got anything to do with them.’
asserted
he → find → them
(Left to right) John Swinney, Rhun ap Iorwerth, Mary Lou McDonald and Michelle O'Neill have pledged to work together on common goals
Mr Swinney previously came in for criticism when he suggested people should 'move on' from The Troubles in Northern Ireland
At First Minister’s Questions last month, Mr Swinney was forced into insisting he opposes terrorism but refused to call on Sinn Fein to denounce the actions of the IRA.
uncertain
he → pledge → IRA
He also previously came under fire for saying people need to ‘move on’ from the Troubles.
asserted
people → come → Troubles
Mr Findlay said: ‘We all understand the necessity of the Good Friday Agreement, the Conservative Government was central to that process, and we also understand that Sinn Fein are a democratically elected party.
'
asserted
Fein → say → process
What sticks in the craw is that John Swinney is willing to agitate for the break-up of the United Kingdom with a party that has never denounced the murder of thousands of innocent people, including Scottish soldiers.
asserted
that → stick → soldiers
‘I put to him whether he has or will ask his new friends in Sinn Fein to do the right thing and say that violence is never justifiable
asserted
violence → put → thing
he dodged that question.
asserted
he → dodge → question
I suspect deep down John Swinney is perhaps conflicted.
asserted
Swinney → suspect → ?
I don’t believe for a minute he has any sympathy with the murderous IRA terrorists who caused so much pain and suffering for decades but he is so consumed by his lifelong desire to break up the country that he has found a pretty unsavoury bedfellow in Sinn Fein, and I don’t know if that will sit wholly comfortably with him.’
asserted
that → believe → him
In an interview with BBC Radio Scotland Breakfast on Tuesday, Mr Findlay said Scotland needs to ‘move on’ from debates about independence and said that there is ‘no appetite’ for another referendum.
asserted
Scotland → say → referendum
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