John Swinney's big speech was a tacit but damning indictment of SNP-Green coalition – Scotsman comment

Fostering economic growth, encouraging investment, working with business and even ‘making things happen’ – our new First Minister's speech was littered with statements of the obvious about what good government involves

It was John Swinney’s first big speech as First Minister – and it was littered with statements of the obvious, things that shouldn’t have needed to be said, but very much did. There was, he declared, “no conflict in my mind… between eradicating child poverty and boosting economic growth”. Who would have thought it?

“The attraction of private capital is a very real and material necessity,” he added. Getting more investment in Scottish business is a good thing? Perhaps Swinney should say where he stands on “mom and apple pie”, to borrow a useful Americanism. There was more. “Government must have a can-do attitude” and must even focus on “making things happen”. Now there’s a revelation.

The obvious question about all these obvious statements is why Swinney felt the need to say them. And the obvious answer is that it represents a departure from the previous SNP-Green government. Swinney came close to making this clear, saying: “I will demand from my government more concrete actions and fewer strategy documents.” Our government had almost been transformed into a think tank, and a rather stupid one at that.

John Swinney sees the funny side of something in conversation with Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar this week (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

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The problem was that the Scottish Green party and some members of the SNP believe growth to be a bad thing. The Greens’ website tells of the “deep shortcomings of conventional economics and the pursuit of endless economic growth”. Instead of seeing economic opportunities in the transition to a net-zero economy, they see an opportunity to end capitalism in the hope of ushering in a hard-left utopia.

So it was heartening to hear Swinney spell out that his government will be different to what has gone before, that he will “be collaborative and inclusive… with businesses, unions and communities”, and that he will “ensure the perception exists that the Scottish Government is a government that is engaged with, and supportive of, business”.

However, his speech was also a tacit indictment of the quality of previous SNP-led governments and a shocking reminder of the cost of bad government. And while Swinney’s strategy may sound better, we remain to be convinced he will take the “concrete actions” required to really turn the country around.