John Swinney becomes new SNP leader

The new SNP Leader, John Swinney MSP, delivers an acceptance speech at Glasgow University on Monday – Jeff J Mitchell

John Swinney has become the new SNP leader after the party confirmed he was the only candidate for the role.

The party grandee, who had an unhappy previous stint as leader which ended 20 years ago, is expected to be voted in as Scotland’s seventh first minister at Holyrood on Tuesday.

The SNP confirmed on Monday that Mr Swinney was the only candidate to reach the required level of support, which is 100 nominees from party members from at least 20 different branches.

Mr Swinney, who was Nicola Sturgeon’s long-serving deputy, last week persuaded Kate Forbes, seen as his only viable contender after he decided to run, to support him after promising her a significant role in his government.

Graeme McCormick, a party activist, had threatened to derail Mr Swinney’s coronation but he was also convinced by Mr Swinney to stand down, following talks between the pair on Sunday.

Unionist parties at Holyrood have accused the SNP of mounting a “stich-up” to install Mr Swinney without a contest.

Mr Swinney said on X, formerly Twitter:

Mr Swinney has said he will seek to govern on a “moderate centre-Left” platform, seen as a sign that he is planning to ditch unpopular identity politics around gender and radical Net Zero plans.

However, the Scottish Greens, whose votes Mr Swinney may have to rely on in Holyrood, warned against a “retreat to the tepid middle ground”.

Patrick Harvie, the Scottish Greens co-leader, said that this would leave the SNP to rely on “the Tories and other pro-union parties” suggesting the Greens would refuse to back a centrist administration.

“Mr Swinney knows that if he is to have our support then it must be on the basis of progressive policies that help us to tackle the climate crisis and build a fairer and more equal future,” Mr Harvie said.

“There are a lot of important policies already on their way to delivery as a result of the Bute House [coalition] Agreement, including better rights for tenants and rent controls, transforming the way we heat our homes and a watertight ban on conversion therapy.

“We remain utterly committed to these policies and will oppose any move away from them or steps to dilute them. It is also clear that the new Climate Bill must be used to bring about the pace of change that has been lacking since the SNP first started missing climate targets.”

Early Holyrood election ruled out

He will be the third SNP first minister since Nicola Sturgeon won the 2021 Holyrood election.

Despite the SNP demanding a UK general election after Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak were installed as prime ministers by the Tories, Mr Swinney has ruled out an early Holyrood election.

He is expected to hand Ms Forbes, who is on the right of the SNP, a prominent role in his government as part of a bid to unify his fractious party.

Keith Brown, the SNP’s deputy leader, claimed on Monday that Mr Swinney was “the biggest hitter in the SNP” and suggested unionist parties may come to regret toppling the unpopular Humza Yousaf.

Mr Yousaf was forced to resign as SNP leader and First Minister after his attempt to end his party’s power-sharing pact with the Scottish Greens spectacularly backfired.

The smaller pro-independence party had planned to vote with unionist parties in a vote of no confidence against Mr Yousaf, leading to him standing down after only 13 months.

“I understand over the course of the weekend, we’ve people out canvassing and they’ve reported already an increase in positive turnout coming back from those canvassing sessions,” Mr Brown claimed.

“So there’s been an immediate lift from the discussions which John Swinney has had first of all with Kate Forbes and, it now appears, with Graeme McCormick.”

Swinney controversies

However, opponents claim Mr Swinney is tainted by his close association with Ms Sturgeon, who has described him as “the best friend I could have wished for”.

He has also been associated with a number of controversies during his long period at the top of the SNP.

In the last parliament, he narrowly survived two confidence votes over botching exam results during the pandemic as Education Secretary and for refusing to release legal advice about the Alex Salmond affair.

Mr Swinney has also previously attempted to downplay questions over party finances. Police later launched an investigation which has seen Ms Sturgeon, who denies wrongdoing, arrested and released without charge.

She remains under investigation, along with Colin Beattle, the former party treasurer, who was also arrested last year and released without charge.

Ms Sturgeon’s husband, Peter Murrell, the former SNP chief executive, was last month charged with embezzlement of funds from the party.

Mr Swinney is likely to become Scotland’s next first minister, the third in just over a year, as early as Tuesday.

The Scottish Government Cabinet will also meet on Tuesday, with MSPs later given the opportunity to elect a new first minister at some point in the Holyrood schedule.

Mr Swinney would then have to swear three oaths of office at the Court of Session in Edinburgh before officially becoming First Minister.

‘Ultimate continuity candidate’

Douglas Ross, the Scottish Conservative leader, said: “I congratulate John Swinney on becoming SNP leader for a second time.

“We urge him to govern for all of Scotland by abandoning his relentless push for independence – but, judging by his leadership launch slogan, that looks a forlorn hope.

“As the main opposition party, we will hold John Swinney to account when he lets the Scottish people down – just as we’ve done with Humza Yousaf.

“It’s difficult to see how he can be the fresh start Scotland needs, when he’s the ultimate continuity candidate. John Swinney was joined at the hip with the disgraced Nicola Sturgeon and his fingerprints are all over her numerous policy failures and cover-ups.

“The stitch-up the SNP have engineered to ensure John Swinney’s coronation highlights the mess they’re in. Is a failed former leader from two decades ago – who, as education secretary, sent Scotland plummeting down international league tables – really the best they have to offer?

“With John Swinney at the helm, the SNP will double down on their independence obsession – the one issue they agree on – and ignore the real priorities of the Scottish people, such as fixing our ailing public services and growing the economy.

“Voters know that in key seats across Scotland, only the Scottish Conservatives can beat the SNP and get the focus back on to the issues that really matter.”

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