SNP LEADERSHIP RACE: Swinney announces bid
John Swinney has announced his bid to replace Humza Yousaf as Scotland’s next First Minister.
Mr Swinney, 60, launched his campaign in Grassmarket, Edinburgh this morning, which was attended by current cabinet ministers.
He said: “I want to build on the work of the SNP government to create a modern, diverse, dynamic Scotland that will ensure opportunities for all of her citizens.
“I want to unite the SNP and Scotland for independence.”
MSP for Perthshire North since 1999, Swinney has a wealth of experience as a politician which spans almost 16 years.
He was leader of the SNP while they were in opposition from 2000 to 2004, before being appointed as Finance Secretary by Alex Salmond when the party entered government in 2007, a role he held for nine years.
However, he is perhaps most known as deputy to Nicola Sturgeon during her tenure in office, resigning in the aftermath of her decision to stand down last year.
Two years into the Sturgeon administration, he combined his role with that of Education Secretary until 2021 when he moved to the Covid Recovery brief for the remainder of his time in government.
Mr Swinney continued: “One of the benefits of stepping back from front-line politics a year ago is that I have had the time and opportunity to see our political situation from a different perspective.
“There is a huge amount that the SNP has achieved on behalf of the people of Scotland and much about which we should feel very proud.
“The Scottish Child Payment, free university tuition, the massive expansion of childcare and much more.
“SNP policies transform lives, we lift children from poverty, give them a better start in life and enable them to go to university.”
“Looking across these islands, with a General Election looming, the SNP alone stands up for ordinary people, for workers, for families.”
On where his government would be situated in the political spectrum and how that would structure his leadership goals, Mr Swinney said: “I will stand in the moderate left centre, where a majority of people want their government to stand.
“The pursuit of economic growth and social justice. Economic growth, not for its own sake but to support the services and society we all want to see.”
Mr Swinney offered an insight into the priorities of a potential cabinet and the aim of its ministers: “I will pursue priorities that will make Scotland the best our country can be.”
“I want to focus my efforts on reaching out in Scotland with respect and courtesy to address the obstacles in the way of winning the case for independence.
“Ministers that act on my behalf will be working ferociously to deliver improvement in the lives of people in Scotland.”
According to YouGov analysis from 26-29 April, the SNP are projected to win 47 seats at the next Holyrood election, a decrease of 17 MSPs.
Mr Swinney revealed his thoughts on the issues facing the party and stressed that he would not be in Bute House for a short stint in power: “The party is not cohesive just now, we are not together and operating as one big, unified team.
“I am offering to take the party through the Westminster election and beyond the 2026 elections – two contests I intend to win for the SNP and for Scotland.”
The leadership hopeful concluded by describing the UK government as “hostile”: “The answer to that is for Scotland to be independent and not be imprisoned by Westminster decisions.
“And that’s the message I will take to the people of Scotland.”
ANALYSIS
However, there is an expectation that opposition parties will dissect the former Deputy First Minister’s previous record in government and attempt to use that as a way of undermining Swinney’s capability to govern, if he is appointed the country’s seventh First Minister.
This was made apparent in First Minister’s Questions when Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar described the experienced politician as the “man who broke the public finances” and “the worst education secretary in the history of the Scottish parliament.”
While the leader of the Scottish Conservatives’ Douglas Ross labelled him as a failure and a divisive nationalist figure while also mentioning his deletion of Covid WhatsApp messages as a “disgraceful cover-up.”
Therefore, Swinney, who arguably enjoyed a strong speech in setting out his campaign for the top job while simultaneously positioning himself as the unifier and the candidate best placed to heal the party, should be conscious of the Conservatives and Labour who will be keen to bring old situations back into the spotlight.
