John Swinney has said the solution to the cost of living crisis in Scotland is independence.

The First Minister told STV News that “foolish decisions” by Westminster had “damaged” Scotland’s economy.

He said that the Scottish Government would continue to make the case for independence.

It comes after he axed the post of independence minister when he made his largely unchanged Cabinet on Wednesday.

A spokesperson for the First Minister confirmed after FMQs on Thursday that the Scottish Government’s papers promoting independence will still continue.

Swinney said: “What I’m going to do is make sure we build the case for independence and that we explain to people that independence is the solution to some of the challenges that we face in our society today like the cost of living crisis.

“That’s a product of foolish decisions by Westminster on macroeconomic questions.

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