John Swinney Confronted Over SNP's Alleged Failures on Final Holyrood Day
First Minister John Swinney has faced a blistering assault from political opponents, accused of presiding over five years of SNP sleaze, incompetence, and dishonesty as the Holyrood parliamentary term drew to a close. The final session of First Minister's Questions was marked by intense criticism, with Swinney told he should apologise for what rivals termed a 'record of failure'. This comes just as party leaders prepare to officially launch their election campaigns, with exactly six weeks remaining until voters head to the polls.
Opposition Leaders Launch Scathing Critiques
Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay delivered a particularly harsh rebuke, stating that the SNP government under Swinney has been 'incompetent, dishonest, and sleazy'. He emphasised that Swinney has been at the heart of this administration for nearly two decades, defending colleagues embroiled in various scandals. These include former Health Secretary Michael Matheson's £11,000 iPad data roaming bill during a family holiday in Morocco, current Health Secretary Neil Gray's use of taxpayer-funded limousines for football travel, and Justice Secretary Angela Constance's misrepresentation of a child abuse expert regarding grooming gangs inquiries.
Findlay also highlighted the 'corrupt CalMac ferry scandal' and Swinney's deletion of his own Covid-era messages. He questioned when Swinney would start defending Scotland's interests over those of his 'sleazy SNP pals'. In response, Swinney asserted his daily commitment to Scotland's people and predicted Conservative decimation in the upcoming election, but Findlay retorted that Swinney's moral high ground might cause 'altitude sickness', accusing him of being immune to SNP's dishonesty.
Litany of Failures and Broken Promises Cited
The criticism extended to a broad range of policy areas, with Findlay condemning the SNP's record on:
- Implementing the highest taxes in the UK alongside a soaring benefits bill.
- Rising classroom violence and reductions in teacher and police officer numbers.
- Closure of police stations and increases in violent crime and domestic violence.
- Failures in new housing and road-building projects.
- Rising hospital waiting times and difficulties securing GP and dentist appointments.
- Early release of prisoners and issues with 'broken' ferries.
- Closure of pubs, betrayal of oil workers, trashing of women's rights, and soaring drug deaths.
Findlay demanded to know which failure Swinney was most ashamed of, also noting public fatigue with the SNP's 'damaging obsession' with independence. Swinney countered by attributing some issues to the Covid pandemic's impact and accusing the Conservatives of peddling a 'doom loop of despair'.
Labour Joins the Fray with Recovery Accusations
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar added to the pressure, pointing out that the SNP had promised a 'Covid recovery parliament' in 2021 but claimed that after five years, conditions have worsened on nearly every measure. He cited waiting times, homelessness, crime, and educational attainment as areas of decline, accusing Swinney of having a 'record of failure' that warrants an apology. Sarwar emphasised the need for a new government to 'fix the SNP's mess', particularly highlighting failures in NHS recovery with soaring treatment wait times.
Swinney defended his government's actions, citing pandemic challenges and improvements in longer waits, while criticising Labour's own failings and dismissing Sarwar as a man of 'poor judgement'.
Election Campaigns Set to Launch with Stark Warnings
As the election campaign kicks off, leaders are framing the stakes in dramatic terms. Russell Findlay warned that recent polling suggests Swinney is close to achieving a 'nightmare prospect'—an SNP majority that could push for another independence referendum. He urged Scots to support the Scottish Conservatives to prevent this and 'stop Swinney and his push to break up the United Kingdom'.
At the SNP campaign launch, Swinney argued that securing a majority would enable 'truly transformational change with independence' and 'lock Nigel Farage out of any influence in Scotland's parliament'. He accused Labour of planning a 'grubby backroom deal' with Reform UK, vowing to defeat them and ensure Scotland's future remains in Scottish hands.
Anas Sarwar, launching Labour's campaign, asserted that after 20 years of SNP rule, 'Scotland needs change', positioning his party as the sole agent capable of delivering it. The stage is set for a fiercely contested election, with Swinney's legacy and the SNP's record at the centre of the debate.
