Why John Swinney is feeling especially confident as he insists the SNP is 'back in business'
The SNP leadership is oozing confidence in a way Scottish politics has not seen since Nicola Sturgeon left office.
John Swinney has insisted the SNP is “back in business”, as several clouds hanging over his chances of keeping his job next year have begun to part ways.
The First Minister has had a spring in his step, of late.
The SNP is comfortably ahead in the polls, notwithstanding the Holyrood electoral system meaning his party is still not a shoo-in to retain power in 2026.
But compared to where the SNP was when Mr Swinney took over following the disastrous exit of Humza Yousaf, and the woeful general election he led the party into last year, things are certainly looking brighter than even the FM expected.
Speaking in Kirkintilloch on Monday, Mr Swinney told me, boldly, “the SNP’s on the front foot”, adding: “I think we’re back in business.”
Electorally, the SNP has pushed head and shoulders ahead of Scottish Labour in recent months.
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar and the momentum he gained at the general election has been torpedoed by unpopular decision after unpopular decision by his party colleagues in Westminster since entering Downing Street.
Mr Sarwar gave what Mr Swinney told journalists was “a reckless commitment” that a Labour government would not return to austerity - words that keep being thrown back at him by opponents, and some of his own colleagues.
The SNP under Mr Swinney, although not threatening yet to reach the peak of popularity it enjoyed under Nicola Sturgeon’s leadership, is on a trajectory that makes it the favourite to retain power at next May’s crunch election, as things stand.
The FM bluntly told journalists he was “very, very pleased with where the SNP is just now”.
He said: “We went 22 months without winning a by-election - we’ve just won five seats in 2025 already.
“I think electorally, we’re doing better and the party is now going through its candidate selection progress for the 2026 elections. The heavy lifting required to get ready for 2026 is all happening.”
Amid Ms Sturgeon’s exit from office and the chaos that ensured during Mr Yousaf’s brief time in Bute House, Operation Branchform loomed large over the SNP.
The police investigation over the SNP’s finances saw Ms Sturgeon and former treasurer and current MSP Colin Beattie arrested as part of the probe and were only cleared of wrongdoing on Thursday - almost two years on.
Despite former chief executive and Ms Sturgeon’s husband, Peter Murrell, appearing in court charged with embezzlement of SNP funds last week, politically, the pressure over the party finances has somewhat eased.
Ms Sturgeon, whom Mr Swinney was “in touch with” over the weekend, is likely to be utilised as an asset during the campaign by the SNP - an unthinkable prospect 18 months ago.
Last week, Mr Swinney was confidently able to deliver a narrative that it appeared as if the SNP has been a victim of embezzlement rather than being implicated as an organisation. That is a key shift.
Over the weekend, the party held an internal conference in Perth, which related to some internal governance being tightened up.
Mr Swinney told journalists he also “gave an assurance to the party at the weekend that the financial affairs of the party are in good, strong hands with our national treasurer, Stuart McDonald ”.
Comments
Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article.