John Swinney was today officially installed as First Minister of Scotland after Humza Yousaf resigned.
The new SNP leader was elected to the post in a vote in Holyrood, with the Greens ensuring he could not be blocked.
The confirmation came hours after Mr Yousaf signed his letter of resignation to the king and delivered a farewell speech criticizing ‘bigots’.
Mr Swinney becomes the third holder of the top role in just a year and paid an emotional tribute to his wife Elizabeth, who suffers from MS. He expressed “deep and eternal gratitude” that she was willing to make sacrifices so he could serve Scotland.
Attention will now turn to his cabinet, with questions over whether Kate Forbes will take the key post as his deputy amid tensions over her devout Christian views. Appointments will take place after he is sworn in tomorrow.
Despite statements that he is a ‘Sturgeon apologist’ and ‘continuity’ option, Mr Swinney was the only SNP leadership candidate to stand when nominations closed yesterday.
He managed to convince former finance minister Ms Forbes to join his team rather than challenge him, a move decried as a ‘stitch-up’ by opponents.
John Swinney is expected to be installed as Scottish First Minister after being confirmed as the new SNP leader yesterday
In a farewell speech at Holyrood this afternoon, Humza Yousaf thanked colleagues who had shown him ‘kindness’ amid the ‘toxic nature of our political debate’.
Humza Yousaf officially resigned as First Minister of Scotland today, paving the way for John Swinney to be installed within hours
Swinney received the support of 64 MSPs, while his nearest rival Douglas Ross, leader of the Scottish Conservatives, collected 31. Because the Greens abstained, that was enough for a simple majority.
In his pitch for the role in the House, Mr Swinney said: ‘I hope we can all recognize that, despite our political differences, we are all here because we want the best for Scotland, whatever our particular role may be.
‘For me, it is with all my experience – but much more than that – and my burning ambition for a better future for this country that I aspire to become Prime Minister.’
He said his ‘core belief’ is that ‘Scottish self-government is the right way forward for Scotland’.
He promised to listen to those who voted for pro-independence parties in 2021, as well as those who did not.
Mr Yousaf said in his closing speech: “I would like to thank every colleague across the political divide for the kindness you have shown me over the years.
‘We often lament, and I am guilty of this, the toxic nature of our political debate, and it is true that there is a deep-seated tribalism from which we find it difficult to free ourselves.
‘But I will remember with much more fondness the kindness and generosity of colleagues over the years.’
Mr Swinney overcame a late obstacle yesterday when he convinced activist Graeme McCormick not to press ahead with forcing a leadership contest, even though he had secured the support needed to hold out.
In his victory speech in Glasgow yesterday, Mr Swinney acknowledged the scale of the infighting and crises that have engulfed the SNP, admitting the party has been through a ‘tough, difficult time’.
But he claimed that under his leadership his party has now “come back together” and “got its act together.”
Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross said Swinney would only double down on independence obsession rather than tackle Scotland’s problems.
“It is difficult to see how he can be the fresh start that Scotland needs when he is the ultimate continuity candidate,” he said.
‘John Swinney was joined at the hip to the disgraced Nicola Sturgeon and his fingerprints are all over her numerous policy failures and cover-ups.
‘The trick the SNP have come up with to ensure John Swinney’s coronation highlights the mess they are in.
‘Is a failed former leader from 20 years ago – who, as Education Secretary, sent Scotland tumbling down the international rankings – really the best the country has to offer?
Yousaf’s time as prime minister was spent dealing with a long list of crises, including developments in the police investigation into the SNP’s funding and finances, a series of policy U-turns, disciplinary issues, defections and bitter infighting between factions in his party.
In his speech yesterday, Mr Swinney claimed the fast-track leadership process could allow the SNP to ‘return to prominence’.
A Norstat poll last weekend showed the SNP is on track to fall to just 15 seats after the general election, falling behind Labor at the next Holyrood election.
The SNP’s vote share in the Westminster election fell to its lowest level since the 2014 independence referendum.
The party would retain just 15 of the 43 seats, while Scottish Labor would gain 28 – a dramatic increase from the current two.
Mr Swinney was the only nominee for SNP leader after persuading former Chancellor of the Exchequer Kate Forbes (pictured) to join his team rather than challenge him
Yousaf’s fall from grace was sparked when he summarily abandoned the coalition agreement with the Greens in Scotland
Mr Yousaf signed his resignation letter to the king as the transition takes effect
According to the Sunday Times survey, the SNP received support from 29 percent of the electorate – a fall of three points in a month, while Labour’s share rose two points to 34 percent.
Under Nicola Sturgeon, the SNP became the third largest party in Westminster, winning 56 of Scotland’s 59 seats in 2015.
The Scottish Conservatives, whose vote share in the poll remained at 16 percent, would add three seats and regain nine MPs – while the Liberal Democrats, at 8 percent, would increase their returns by one to five MPs.
Scottish Labor leader Anas Sarwar said: ‘John Swinney’s coronation is all about governing the SNP and not about governing our country.
‘At a time when Scotland is crying out for change, the SNP is offering more of the same.’
