Country for independence’

In his speech, Swinney added: “One of the benefits of stepping back from front line politics a year ago is that I’ve had the time and the opportunity to see our political situation from a different perspective than before.

“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, very proud. The Scottish Child Payment, free university tuition, the massive expansion of childcare and much, much more.

“SNP policies transform lives, they lift children from poverty, give them a better start in life and enable them to go to university. Looking across these islands with a UK election looming the SNP alone stands up for ordinary people, for workers, for families.”

He added the SNP is currently “not cohesive” but can be a “formidable force for good” if it “gets its act together”.

“We’re not operating as one, big unified team,” Swinney said.

“But what I’m absolutely certain about is if the SNP gets its act together it will be a formidable force for good in Scotland and a formidable force for success in Scotland as well, and that’s what I offer.”

Elected as MP (1997) and as an MSP to the first Scottish Parliament (1999)

IN 1997, Swinney was elected as an MP for the Tayside North constituency. He would later step down from this role in 2001. Swinney was elected as an MSP in 1999 and represented the North Tayside constituency during the first Scottish Parliament.

Leader of the SNP (2000-04)

IN 2000, Salmond stepped down as leader of the SNP, triggering a new leadership contest.

Swinney, who launched his bid to become the leader of the SNP, advocated for a gradualist approach to independence while his main rival Alex Neil was considered a fundamentalist, believing that the party should pursue independence as soon as it entered government.

THE 2020 SQA exam controversy saw Swinney face a vote of no confidence backed by the Labour Party, Conservatives and LibDems. He was accused of creating an exam results system that “unfairly penalised pupils at schools which had historically not performed so well”. He later faced another no-confidence vote over his liaising with the Committee on the Scottish Government Handling of Harassment Complaints after twice refusing to publish legal advice requested by the committee. He again won this vote.

I want to create a modern, diverse, dynamic Scotland

Covid Recovery Secretary and leadership bid (2021 to present)

STURGEON appointed Swinney as Covid Recovery Secretary, a role he served until stepping down in 2023. He could be the leader of the party once again after confirming his bid to succeed Humza Yousaf.