Swinney wins Holyrood vote to be Scotland's first minister

John Swinney will become Scotland's seventh first minister after being nominated by parliament.

The SNP leader is to succeed Humza Yousaf, who resigned from office earlier on Tuesday.

Mr Swinney was backed by 64 MSPs, while the Scottish Green cohort of seven MSPs abstained, guaranteeing him the required majority.

His appointment will be rubber-stamped by the King before he is officially sworn in at the Court of Session on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak posted on X, external that he looked forward to "working constructively" with the new first minister, "focusing on the real issues that matter to families – delivering jobs, growth and better public services for people across Scotland".

Mr Swinney, who has 16 years' cabinet experience and led the SNP between 2000 and 2004, will take office in the week the Scottish Parliament marked 25 years since devolution.

He was appointed SNP leader unopposed on Monday after potential rival Kate Forbes opted not to run. She has been pledged a "significant" role in Mr Swinney's government.

A leadership contest was avoided after veteran SNP activist, Graeme McCormick, withdrew a rival bid following talks with Mr Swinney.

In his pitch to MSPs, Mr Swinney aimed to strike a conciliatory note, praising the achievements of other major parties in the devolved parliament.

He said he would listen to the views of those who voted for a pro-independence parties in the 2021 election, and those who voted against.

He would engage in "the lifeblood of democracy, persuasion based on evidence, while respecting honest and honourable differences,” he said.

Mr Swinney added his government would focus on the economy, the NHS and other public services, as well as “a drive to lift children out of poverty”.

He said it was “something of a surprise” but an “extraordinary privilege” to become first minister having stood down from cabinet last year.

The SNP leader said the decision to run for the position had been made with his family, expressing “eternal gratitude” to his wife Elizabeth Quigley, who has multiple sclerosis and relies on him for support.

He pledged to be the “first minister for everyone in Scotland”, adding: “I am here to serve you, I will give everything I have to build the best future for our country.”

Earlier Mr Yousaf told parliament it had been "an honour and a privilege” to lead the country.

A son to Pakistani parents and the first Muslim to lead a country in western Europe, Mr Yousaf said he had been regularly told to “go home” throughout his life.

"I have no other home than this one. I never will, I never have. My heart will forever belong to Scotland," he told MSPs.

Holyrood's presiding officer will recommend to the King that Mr Swinney is appointed as first minister.

He is expected to be sworn in at the Court of Session on Wednesday.

In a final statement to parliament as first minister, Mr Yousaf said he had been “blessed” to hold the role.

Mr Swinney was challenged in the parliamentary vote by Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross, Labour leader Anas Sarwar and Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton - none of whom had a realistic chance of winning.

Mr Ross said the SNP had replaced "one continuity candidate with another".

He added after the result: "Scotland waits to see whether he will be a nationalist leader, like his predecessors, or a national leader that Scotland needs to take our country forward."

Mr Sarwar told MSPs: "Scotland needs a first minister who is focused on the future, not defending a record of failure or focused on the past."

Mr Cole-Hamilton accused the SNP of foregoing "democratic process" in its leadership contest and said Scotland needed "new hope in our politics".

The Scottish Greens, whose sudden departure from government sparked the change in first minister, abstained from the vote.

Co-leader Lorna Slater said the SNP has the right to form a government, but "does not have an automatic right to our votes".

She told MSPs: “If our parties can continue to work towards a shared vision of a fairer, progressive, independent Scotland which takes its responsibilities to future generations seriously, our door remains open.”

Little over a week ago, Mr Swinney's frontbench career had looked definitively over.

He stepped down from the cabinet in 2023 after 16 years in key roles under both Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon.

In the leadership contest that followed Ms Sturgeon's resignation, Mr Swinney took a back seat, external to "create the space for a fresh perspective to emerge".

But the implosion of Mr Yousaf's premiership, sparked by his decision to tear up the SNP government's power-sharing deal with the Scottish Greens, triggered a search for a new SNP leader who could unite the party.

Almost immediately, Mr Swinney was publicly urged to stand by senior party members, including SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn, deputy party leader Keith Brown and several cabinet members.

Addressing supporters on Monday, Mr Swinney said his decision to accept such calls was not borne of ambition, but of a “profound sense of duty".

His supporters argue he will provide much-needed stability for the party and government, while his detractors associate his previous cabinet roles with "chaos".

Regardless of political persuasion, there is no doubt the new first minister will immediately face several daunting tasks.

Having confirmed he has no intention of resurrecting a deal with the Greens, Mr Swinney will attempt to pass a budget and other key bills with a minority administration of 63 MSPs.

Another major headache is the ongoing police investigation into SNP funds. Last year, Mr Swinney's predecessor, Ms Sturgeon, was arrested and released without charge.

Her husband, former party chief executive Peter Murrell, was charged in connection with the embezzlement of funds in April.

The immediate challenge will be naming his first cabinet.

Former finance secretary Ms Forbes, who narrowly lost out to Mr Yousaf in last year's leadership contest, is expected to make a return to the cabinet.

Otherwise, it is unclear who will be invited to help lead the new Scottish government.

Mr Swinney's cabinet choices will be announced on Wednesday, and confirmed in parliament on Thursday.