SNP finance minister John Swinney has described the election result in Scotland as "truly historic".

"We have commanded public confidence right across the country," he told James Naughtie.

"The first minister appealed for unity in Scotland and the people gave him that unity."

But he rejected that support had risen because the SNP had downplayed the issue of independence.

The party would campaign to get a referendum on independence "in the latter half of this parliament," he said.

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