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
First Minister John Swinney says it is “absolutely legitimate” for people to “seek assurance” after many criticised his decision to appoint Kate Forbes as deputy first minister.
Ms Forbes has previously spoken out against equal marriage, abortion and having children out of wedlock.
Speaking to journalists in Holyrood, Mr Swinney said: “If people are feeling uneasy or anxious, we’re better airing that.
“So that I can say on the record, the deputy first minister can say on the record in front of you all, that we give that reassurance and we give that comfort to people in our society, because that’s what we believe.”
Taking a quick look at what has been happening down in Westminster today - House of Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt says previous SNP leaders and the new First Minister John Swinney make Humza Yousaf’s record look “stellar”.
She added Mr Yousaf is not the worst Scottish leader of all time because he has not been arrested.
The SNP Commons leader Deidre Brock branded Ms Mordaunt an “extraordinary recruiting sergeant for independence” and said she was “delighted to see the leader still in her place after her party’s catastrophic results” in last week’s local elections in England.
She added: “Not catastrophic enough to mobilise her PM for PM rebels apparently.
“With her weekly ill-informed comments about Scotland, she is an extraordinary recruiting sergeant for independence, and I’m sure she won’t disappoint today.
“Can I also welcome, warmly, the launch by the leader this week of the guide to recognising conspiracy theories such as those around 5G masts and 15-minute cities.
“It’ll be useful reading for some of the members on her own benches, and perhaps those on Labour’s increasingly busy right-wing.
“Given her personal interest in what’s supposed to be a central role of this house in protecting democracy and protecting us, will she be pressing for a wider debate on disinformation and the malign influence of secretive social media groups that perpetuate these damaging myths?
“I’m thinking, for example, of the 36 so-called grassroots Facebook groups I raised with the Prime Minister last week, forums full of vile racism, conspiracy theories, and Islamophobic of Sadiq Khan - all with links to Conservative Party HQ staff, activists and even politicians.
“Now, there’s reason to suspect similar groups are quietly spreading their poison across the UK including in Scotland, wouldn’t the leader agree this needs to be investigated and brought to light, not laughed off as the Prime Minister did?”
In response Ms Mordaunt said: “First of all, can I rejoice at the news that the Scottish Government no longer has a minister for independence? I was waiting this morning to discover why this would be my fault, but [Ms Brock] didn’t raise it.
“But I want to place on record my thanks to the former first minister for his service - I know there are many that would kick a man when he is down, but I will not, he has done his best.
“Some say he has been the worst SNP leader of all time, I say no - not only has he not managed to be arrested but other SNP leaders make his record look pretty stellar, the new First Minister for example, and I welcome him to his place.
“Can I, in all seriousness, welcome [Ms Brock]’s support for the education pamphlet on conspiracy theories - it is very important, it is a real threat, not just to democracy but also to the wellbeing of our constituents.
“It’s a form of radicalisation and it is spreading and we must do everything we can to combat it.”
Always love a good debate between Ms Mordaunt and Ms Brock in the House of Commons.
A key ministerial group chaired by the First Minister to oversee the development of strategy to transform the economy has never met and could now be scrapped.
The economic leadership group was meant to bring together key members of the cabinet with the president of Cosla, the umbrella body for Scotland’s 32 councils, under the stewardship of the First Minister.
Audit Scotland says there has been a “gap in collective political leadership” as the Scottish Government has so far failed to establish the group.
Despite John Swinney’s decision to ditch the government’s independence minister, there will still be more independence papers published.
The papers are collectively called the Building a New Scotland series, and set out the SNP government’s vision for what Scotland will look like after leaving the UK.
Previously this had been the responsibility of Jamie Hepburn as independence minister - now it will fall to Angus Robertson as constitution secretary.
A spokesman for the Scottish Government said: “As the First Minister set out, work in the constitution portfolio will continue to be taken forward by Angus Robertson.
“Working with cabinet and the relevant portfolio ministers, in line with the clear mandate the Scottish Government has to provide the people of Scotland with the information they need to make an informed choice about their future, this will include the publication of upcoming papers in the Building a New Scotland series.”
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