Scottish News RECAP: John Swinney to face his first First Minister's Questions
Catch up on what happened at John Swinney’s first First Minister’s Questions and the reaction to his new cabinet
Scottish Politics RECAP: John Swinney faces his first first minister's questions | Reactions to the new Scottish cabinet
Key Events
- John Swinney will face his first FMQs since becoming First Minister
- The new Scottish cabinet has been unveiled, with Kate Forbes becoming deputy first minister
- But the role of independence minister has been dropped
Douglas Ross kicks off FMQs and he is talking about teacher cuts - an interesting one to go on as John Swinney is a former education secretary.
He is asking if he will stick to his own promise to increase teacher numbers by 3,000.
Mr Swinney has blamed the UK Government for inflation and the “persistence of austerity”.
He said: “I can ensure Mr Ross and parents of the government’s commitment to sustained investment.”
Douglas Ross is now asking John Swinney to give a “yes or no answer” on whether the government will increase teacher numbers by 3,000.
In response Mr Swinney said: “Absolutely clear with people we face very significant financial pressures in public finances so perspective on public finances deteriorated because of austerity and also because of the very significant inflation we’ve had to wrestle with.”
He also pointed out he has only just returned to the frontbenches - this has caused a lot of shouting in the chamber.
The Conservatives are trying their hardest to rile up John Swinney.
Mr Swinney promised when he was elected First Minister to stop polarising politics and reach out across the chamber (i.e. stop heckling everyone).
Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross and chairman Craig Hoy doing most of the bating here.
In response Mr Swinney said to Mr Hoy: “Am I going to have to go through elementary arithmetic to help you understand here?”
Douglas Ross is now asking “what’s going to change?” referring to the fact the cabinet looks almost the exact same as it did under Humza Yousaf.
In response, John Swinney said: “What’s not going to change is the script we get from Douglas Ross every single time.”
He adds he has only been First Minister for 48 hours but the government will come to parliament very soon.
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar also going on teacher numbers, referring to the fact John Swinney has previously been education secretary and finance secretary.
Mr Sarwar asks: “Will he step in, save teachers jobs, and protect young people’s education?”
Mr Swinney responded by saying: “The events of the last two weeks have been frankly traumatic for my party.”
But said he is now getting on with leading the government, and said he won’t step in and tell local government what to do.
John Swinney is now turning the argument on education in Glasgow back onto Anas Sarwar.
He said: “The issues facing Glasgow City Council, what has cost the council a formidable amount of money is the resolution of equal pay, presided over by the Labour Party.
“Women in our society for many, many years were persistently let down by the Labour Party in Glasgow.
“The council went to the courts to challenge low paid women in Glasgow, something the Labour Party should be utterly ashamed of.”
He says he is now working with the council on this.
Lots of laughs in the chamber now - Anas Sarwar says there will be no change because John Swinney has been in government for 17 years.
Mr Swinney said: “I have good news for Anas Sarwar - the fresh leadership has just arrived.”
Everyone having a good laugh at that response.
He added the SNP is “over the moon” he is First Minister as “they sent me here”.
Probably a good move for Douglas Ross and Anas Sarwar to go on education - a core bread-and-butter issue, something John Swinney said he wanted to get back to in government as First Minister.
We knew the Scottish Greens weren’t happy with the appointment of Kate Forbes as deputy first minister, but they have really gone for her now.
Co-leader Patrick Harvie, who himself is bisexual, says she is anti-LGBT, has “judgemental attitudes towards abortion and thinks those who have families without being married are wrong”.
He says her appointment has “taken us back to the repressive values of the 1950s”.
Mr Swinney said: “That is not the direction my government is going - I will lead from the moderate centre-left position, which is supported by all members.
“I offer myself to be First Minister for everyone.”
Mr Harvie added: “I am not yet sure the First Minister acknowledges just how worried many LGBT people are.”
Patrick Harvie is now asking about whether Kate Forbes will commit to progressive taxation, which they say is necessary for good social policy.
I can see the new First Minister and deputy first minister deliberating their response between them just now.
Mr Swinney said Ms Forbes previously introduced progressive taxes when she was finance secretary.
Slightly odd thing to go on, as when the Scottish Greens first entered government, Kate Forbes was still the finance secretary.
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