‘Swinney commands trust of the people of Scotland’
SNP members do not want to see a repeat of last year’s “bruising” leadership contest, a Scottish Government minister has said.
Former deputy first minister John Swinney looks set to run unopposed to replace Humza Yousaf as SNP leader and first minister after ex-finance secretary Kate Forbes ruled herself out of the contest.
Nominations will not close until Monday, but so far likely candidates to run against Mr Swinney have ruled themselves out.
Net Zero Secretary Mairi McAllan – who introduced Mr Swinney at his campaign launch in Edinburgh on Thursday – said the Perthshire North MSP is the “right man” to unite the party.
It follows a tough week for the SNP at Holyrood, which began when Mr Yousaf abruptly ended the power-sharing Bute House Agreement with the Scottish Greens, sacking Lorna Slater and Patrick Harvie as ministers, and then saw him forced to resign after 13 months as First Minister.
Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland programme yesterday, Ms McAllan said: “There is a sense within the party that the last contest was a particularly bruising one, and I think there is absolutely a sense among members and activists that many of us would not wish to see that repeated.
“I think what the biggest deciding factor has been so far is the stature of John Swinney as somebody who has come forward.
“He is well loved and respected within our party, and I think, most importantly actually, he commands the trust and confidence of the people of Scotland, which we in the SNP know is exactly what is needed right now.”
She also rejected claims that Mr Swinney is “yesterday’s man”. He previously led the SNP from 2000-04, stepping down after poor election results.
He served as Ms Sturgeon’s deputy for more than eight years, also holding major cabinet positions in education and finance.
Ms McAllan said: “John was very clear, the SNP has admittedly been having a difficult period. He is the right man for the moment to unite our party.”