John Swinney set to become Deputy First Minister

SCOTLAND’S finance secretary John Swinney is expected to be named as Nicola Sturgeon’s Deputy First Minister within the next week, it has been reported.

John Swinney has served as finance secretary since 2007. Picture: Ian Georgeson

Ms Sturgeon is said to be ready to make the appointment as part of a ministerial reshuffle, in the immediate few days after she is formally voted in as First Minister at Holyrood on Wednesday. Mr Swinney, who has served as finance secretary since 2007, would be expected to stand in for Ms Sturgeon at the parliament’s First Minister’s Questions, when she is away from Scotland.

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The appointment would mean Mr Swinney was handed the role instead of the newly elected SNP deputy leader Stewart Hosie, who sits as a Nationalist MP at Westminster.

A spokesman for the First Minister said an announcement would be made in “due course”.

The post of Deputy First Minister was vacated by Ms Sturgeon, who held the role since 2007.

There is no legal requirement to have a Deputy First Minister, although every administration to hold office since the creation of the Scottish Parliament in 1999 has included such a position.

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