Why John Swinney's Programme for Government will focus on 4 key priorities - and not much else

John Swinney’s first Programme for Government is poised to be curtailed by a lack of funding - despite the SNP desperately needing some hope and optimism to finally put the general election behind it.

The SNP conference was meant to be a chance for Mr Swinney to put an incredibly difficult opening chapter to his premiership to bed and focus on the crucial task of ensuring his party stays in government beyond the 2026 Holyrood election.

John Swinney at the SNP conference in Edinburgh (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell) | Getty Images

Despite the dreadful performance at the general election, for Mr Swinney’s leadership, the election could probably not have come at a better time. He is able to take a page out of Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar’s book from the 2021 Holyrood vote and wash his hands of it, insisting he did not have enough time to turn things around. And it’s a fair point.

READ MORE: John Swinney's 'baloney' claim over the SNP and Labour blame

But what Mr Swinney cannot deny is that it will fall squarely to him to resurrect the SNP’s fortunes and plot a route to extending the party’s time in government past 2026.

Wednesday’s Programme for Government is the first chance for Mr Swinney, since becoming First Minister, to set out what he plans to achieve in the next 12 months. Over the weekend, the First Minister made clear there would be “John Swinney approaches to tackling child poverty” in the Programme for Government.

Mr Swinney has been clear about the priorities he will bring forward under his leadership - child poverty, climate change, growing the economy and improving public services. It is likely there will be an attempt for a laser-like focus on these aims. But will there be room for anything else?

This is his first chance to put his money where his mouth is. The only problem is that money is severely lacking.

A senior government source rubbished an assertion there would be very little tangible in the Programme for Government - pointing to the annual budget of more than £50 billion that ministers will allocate.

But Tuesday’s budget update from SNP finance secretary Shona Robison will make it crystal clear the Scottish Government does not have extra money to bring ambitious policies forward.

We will have to wait and see what else Ms Robison will cut - it is likely funding for projects could be delayed or pushed further down the line.

SNP finance secretary Shona Robison (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Even less clear is what the picture will look like in the next financial year, with Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s budget next month, already promised to be grim, having a big impact on what SNP ministers will be able to spend.

Despite the doom and gloom for Westminster, SNP ministers may still be handed more spending on devolved areas like the NHS if Labour prioritises the health service - as it vowed to during the election campaign.

The depressing financial backdrop is the last thing Mr Swinney needs as he gets set to unveil his blueprint for the next 12 months - with plenty of glaring things already needing attention.

Ms Robison and Mr Swinney will lay the blame squarely on Labour’s austerity programme, as they see it - a continuation of the Tories in Downing Street. 

But the narrative may struggle to cut through with voters who see a Scottish Government stuttering after 17 years of power pointing the finger at a UK government who have been in power less than two months.