SCOTLAND’S First Minister John Swinney said today he believes the country will vote for separation in 2028 — and he would run to be the first leader of an independent Scotland in 2031.

Mr Swinney is pinning his hopes on the precedent set in 2011, when the SNP won an overall majority, which resulted in an agreement between Alex Salmond and David Cameron to hold a constitutional referendum in 2014.

Despite the Westminster Labour government repeatedly stating a fresh referendum would not be granted, whatever the result in May, Mr Swinney remains confident a second referendum will not only be held in 2028, but can reverse the 55-45 pro-remain vote recorded in 2014.

“I think we are very close to winning Scottish independence. I just have to make it happen,” he said.

“I have managed to persuade many, many people to vote for budgets they never thought they would ever vote for by being accommodating and reasonable and respecting other people’s perspectives.

“And I think that is how we will land it, by being persuasive.”

Arguing Scotland could be a separate state by 2030, he added: “It’s the point at which I stand to be the first prime minister of an independent Scotland,” he added.

Insisting that he did not fear “in the slightest” campaigns from pro-union parties “diminished” over the last decade, he hit out at Labour’s track record over its first 18 months back in government at the Britain-wide level, saying: “We were all told: ‘wait for a Labour government, and it will solve all our issues.’

“Well, it is a total and utter shambles, disappointment, [and] there is nothing good you can say about it.”