First Minister and SNP leader John Swinney has set out his key priorities in Government - what are they?

John Swinney has set out his four priorities in government – and there are no shocks or surprises.

To be clear, Mr Swinney is proud of the SNP Government’s record over the past 17 years, telling MSPs it has “changed Scotland for the better”.

But the First Minister bluntly warned that his four priorities – eradicating child poverty, growing the economy, tackling the climate crisis and improving public services – are threatened by the gloomy financial backdrop.

Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes and First Minister John Swinney (Photo by Andrew Milligan/PA Wire)

Mr Swinney insisted the economic climate “is placing enormous financial pressure on the resources available” and “will have an effect on the priorities we can deliver”.

But he is playing into his reputation as a continuity candidate – essentially focusing on what was important to his predecessor Humza Yousaf and his predecessor Nicola Sturgeon.

Child poverty

First Minister John Swinney delivers a statement on Priorities for Scotland at Holyrood (Photo by Andrew Milligan/PA Wire)

Mr Swinney has made no secret of his ambition to rid Scotland of child poverty since grabbing the keys to Bute House. He told MSPs that he will “not tackle, not reduce, but eradicate child poverty”, adding “this will be the single most important objective of my Government and my Cabinet”.

But as well as a key social policy, Mr Swinney has been keen to stress that ending child poverty is also crucial in boosting Scotland’s economy. He insisted “child poverty stunts the progress of any nation and stands in the way of both social justice and economic growth”.

Grow Scotland’s economy

The duo of Mr Swinney and his deputy Kate Forbes have pulled no punches on making clear their leadership will focus on economic growth. The FM told MSPs his government will “work to create growth, create jobs and maximise the huge economic opportunities that lie ahead”.

Crucially, Mr Swinney has promised to publish a revised tax strategy for Scots within weeks, saying it will contain “critical information on the challenges we face in the public finances and the actions this Government is taking to address them”.

Tackling the climate emergency

Let’s be blunt – Scotland’s climate progress has stuttered. Legal targets are to be rolled back and Scotland’s climate change plan and energy strategy are overdue.

Mr Swinney insists tackling the climate crisis is one of his priorities, but instead of pitching the importance of protecting the environment, the FM is presenting the priority as an economic opportunity in a bid to make it more palatable with the public.

He insisted “in a modern, prosperous Scotland, we must invest in tackling the climate emergency in a way that creates jobs and brings local businesses and communities with us on that journey”.

Improve public services

Mr Swinney’s fourth priority is an obvious one – to make things run better. This should be a no-brainer for any leader in government and is easier said than done, particularly given Mr Swinney has warned about the tricky economic climate.

The First Minister told MSPs he will improve public services “not as a cost, but as a vital investment in our future health, equality and prosperity”.

The Scottish Government has received criticism for failing to get the basics right and focusing on other issues that some see as not as crucial. It will now be up to Mr Swinney to ensure people notice improvements are being made.