How John Swinney just signalled a step-change in SNP's attitude towards economic growth

Later that day, John Swinney told CBI Scotland’s annual lunch that his government would “urgently” address concerns over non-domestic rates rises, asked business leaders to suggest ways to “grow the Scottish economy” and promised “your voice will be heard”. These are hugely encouraging words from a government that has for too long failed to recognise the importance of the private sector.

Swinney also said he had met the leading entrepreneur Tom Hunter for talks and that they had “agreed a number of steps to make sure the ideas of business are at the heart of my government’s agenda”. Hunter said later it had been “the best political meeting I’ve ever had from a business point of view”. That’s quite a statement.

READ MORE: Swinney pledges to 'urgently' address business concerns over rates hikes

Culture wars and constitutional fights

So it seems, at the very least, there is the political will for a step-change in the government’s attitude toward the economy. The big question is whether Swinney has the ability and the drive to actually make it happen, amid competing priorities. It is one thing to say what your audience wants to hear, quite another to turn warm words into something truly meaningful.

The loss of Kate Forbes’ business acumen from the Cabinet was a blow. However, if the government is willing to bring in outside experts and to take their advice, there is a chance that Scotland could be a very different place in five years’ time.

The danger is that Swinney and his ministers will get caught up in culture war issues that have proved so distracting in recent years and constitutional wrangles with Westminster. However, as we have argued before, the best way for the SNP to campaign for independence is to make Scotland a better place – and the surest way to do that is something we can all support: a laser-like focus on economic growth.