John Swinney accused of 'effectively legalising' shoplifting in Scotland

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said the First Minister had given up on keeping communities safe.

Mr Swinney said his opponent was scraping the bottom of the barrel and making “baseless” charges unworthy of his position.

Statistics show shoplifting incidents have risen by some 124 per cent since 2021. In the year ending June 2025, more than 47,000 instances were recorded in Scotland.

Speaking at First Minister’s Questions, Mr Sarwar said: “The SNP has a soft touch approach to crime in our country. Since the last election, shoplifting is up 124 per cent.

“Shop staff are going to work fearing for their safety, and communities are being undermined by criminals who feel like they can get away with it. So will John Swinney and his SNP Government apologise for effectively legalising shoplifting in Scotland?”

Mr Swinney responded: “The accusation that there is a soft touch justice system in Scotland might have some validity if we were not incarcerating more people than any other Western European country, and if our prisons were not facing the increase in population that they are facing.

“So the charge that Mr Sarwar has put to me is a baseless charge which is unworthy of the Labour leader in the Scottish Parliament and he should withdraw it today.”

Mr Sarwar said the First Minister was “living on another planet”. He said fewer than half of shoplifting crimes are solved in Scotland, and pointed to “years of SNP police cuts”.

The Scottish Labour leader said: “The situation is so bad that businesses in Edinburgh have had to form a shop watch scheme to try and investigate crimes against their own businesses.

“Victims of crime being forced to investigate offences perpetrated against them. Is that really the best we can do? All while so many crimes go unreported.”

He added: “So will John Swinney admit, like so many other issues, he’s given up on keeping Scotland’s communities safe?”

Mr Swinney said the Scottish Government had put record investment of £1.64 billion into policing, while ministers are also working to ensure there is an effective police presence in every community in Scotland. He said crime is at one of its lowest levels in 40 years.

“That’s because of this investment by this Government, which the Labour Party failed to support,” he said.

Mr Sarwar said the First Minister was “not living in the real world”, adding: “The SNP’s record on justice is nothing short of criminal, and it’s no wonder communities across Scotland feel abandoned.

“Police want action just as much as victims, but the truth is they are just another victim of SNP incompetence.”

He said there were 800 fewer police officers on the streets under the SNP, while “police station after police station” has closed.

“John Swinney’s SNP Government has failed workers, failed businesses, failed the police,” he said. “So why is John Swinney allowing a tiny minority to make life difficult for Scotland’s hard-working majority?”