Analysis: Swinney slams election called during holidays as poll could be disaster for SNP but dream for Labour

The snap general election is set to be a dream come true for Labour in Scotland – but could spell disaster for the SNP hoping for time to steady the ship.

John Swinney has branded Rishi Sunak calling a snap general election during the Scottish summer holidays as “the latest act of disrespect” from Westminster.

Mr Swinney has welcomed the poll being held on July 4, but admitted it was happening “sooner than we thought”.

The poll will coincide with school summer holidays in Scotland but not in England, with many families likely to have already booked vacations.

John Swinney has criticised the general election taking place during the Scottish school summer holidays (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Speaking to the BBC, Mr Swinney described the move as “the latest act of disrespect from a Conservative government to call an election during the Scottish summer school holidays”. Expect more of that narrative in the coming weeks.

He claimed the timetable will have “not have been given a moment’s thought” by the Conservatives and was another example of the “contempt the Tories have for Scotland”.

Despite the timetable, Mr Swinney said: “I very much look forward to leading the SNP in this election campaign.

Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross (Photo by Andrew Milligan/PA Wire)

“This is the moment to remove the Tory government and put Scotland first by voting SNP. We will work night and day to protect them from the damage done by Westminster.”

He claimed that “the SNP offers a better future to the broken Westminster consensus”.

The SNP leader added: “In this election we’ll be making the case why decisions about Scotland should be made here – and I’ll take that message to every part of Scotland.

“A vote for the SNP is a vote to put Scotland first – and for Scotland to become an independent country.”

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar (Photo by Lisa Ferguson)

The timing is a huge blow for the SNP. The party is lagging behind Labour in the polls and was hoping for a few months of stable government from Mr Swinney to steady the ship and close the gap. That has been ruled out.

Now, Mr Swinney has just six weeks to turn the SNP’s fortunes around.

There are also concerns over how prepared, financially, the SNP is to fight a general election. Accounts published in August 2023 showed that the SNP made a loss of more than £800,000 in the previous year.

For Labour, particularly in Scotland, a snap election is a dream come true. Anas Sarwar’s party has been chomping at the bit for months for a general election as they look to significantly boost their two Scottish MPs and help build a Labour government at Westminster.

First Minister John Swinney and Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar are gearing up for the general election (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Mr Sarwar has insisted that “the people of Scotland and the UK are desperate for an election and desperate for change”.

He added: “After 14 years of Tory chaos and failure, this is an opportunity that we cannot afford to miss.

“Scotland is crying out for change and that change is only possible with a Labour government led by Keir Starmer that is on the side of working people.

“Voting Scottish Labour means booting out this rotten Tory government, maximising Scotland’s influence with Scottish Labour MPs in government and delivering the change that Scotland needs. It’s time for change and Labour is ready to deliver it.”

For the Scottish Tories, the election could be dismal - with the party plummeting in the polls.

One Tory MSP said that it was a "disaster to hold it over the summer", but stressed "it was becoming obvious there is no good time for us to have this election".

Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross stressed his party was “ready to take the fight to the SNP and beat the nationalists in crucial seats up and down Scotland”.

He added that the general election in Scotland was “a huge opportunity to defeat the SNP and put an end to their obsession with independence for good”.

But Mr Ross, who is standing down as an MP at the election, has suggested tactical voting may be required to oust the SNP from seats the Tories are targeting and hoping to hold on to.

He said: “If voters unite in the many seats where it’s a straight fight between the Scottish Conservatives and the SNP, we can get rid of nationalist MPs who have never focused on the things that really matter.

“In key seats up and down Scotland, only the Scottish Conservatives can beat the SNP and get all of the attention on to voters’ top priorities, such as creating good jobs, reducing NHS waiting lists and investing in schools.”

The Scottish Greens have no prospect of winning any Westminster seats, but their vote share could prove vital in taking away support from the SNP in marginal seats - helping Labour to make gains, particularly across the central belt.

Scottish Greens co-leader, Lorna Slater, boasted that her party is “ready to go”, adding “we will be standing more candidates than ever before on July 4”.

Ms Slater has stressed that voting for the Greens shows support for “climate justice and social justice”.

She added: “A strong Scottish Green vote in this election could be transformational, so everybody needs to get out and vote for people and for planet.

“This is the last chance to save our nature and climate from the Tories, to put an end to their planet wrecking policies, and to protect future generations from the harm being inflicted upon them.”

The LibDems are expecting to make gains south of the Border as support for the Conservatives falls, but their ambitions in Scotland remain less clear.

Scottish Lib Dems leader Alex Cole-Hamilton has stated “it is absolutely within our grasp to have more liberals than nationalists” in the next Westminster parliament from Scotland.

Alex Salmond’s Alba party face the likelihood, if not the inevitability, of losing their two MPs who defected from the SNP – leaving questions over whether the party has an electoral future at all.