John Swinney gets Kate Forbes' backing to be next first minister

It's been another dramatic day in Scottish politics where John Swinney looks set to become Scotland's next first minister after Kate Forbes confirmed she would not challenge him for the SNP leadership.

Here are the headlines:

• Swinney, the former deputy first minister and party leader, announced his intention to succeed Humza Yousaf and offered Forbes a "significant" role in his government

• Forbes later confirmed in a statement she would not stand in the contest and endorsed Swinney
• She said she would "join with John Swinney and advocate for that reform agenda within the Scottish government"
• Forbes said she had held “frank and constructive” talks with the former deputy first minister

• Swinney told the press conference in Edinburgh this morning he aimed to "unite Scotland for independence"

• He insisted he would not be an "interim leader" or a “caretaker" first minister and aimed to see out a full term should he win the leadership contest

• Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross called the decision of Forbes to back Swinney a "shady backroom deal''
• "All the SNP are offering is yesterday's man", said Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar

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John Swinney’s retro SNP leadership posters at his launch today reminded me of his last term as party boss.

He’d faced a tough time in the 2003 Holyrood election, losing eight seats.

Bill Wilson from Glasgow was one member who was frustrated at the course the party was taking and challenged Mr Swinney at the SNP’s National Conference.

The leadership duel was meant to be fought out in front of party members only.

But in the vast Eden Court theatre in Inverness, a few of us journalists accidentally found ourselves in the auditorium when the speeches started.

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It was there Mr Swinney had a fiery performance in the hustings and, controversially, said in reference to independence: “tell the Brits to get off”.

Members loved it and the leader easily saw off Mr Wilson – but a bad set of European elections results the next year finished him off.

The phrase “men in grey kilts” was conceived as the party hierarchy coming to tell Mr Swinney that his time was up.

Twenty years on, it looks like the “men in grey kilts” will be very grateful for his return to save the party from turmoil.

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It's been quite a day for John Swinney.

From rumours of candidacy, to announcing a leadership bid, to apparently being given a free run at the top job.

At 10:30 this morning, he stood in front of colleagues and supporters at the Grassmarket Community Project in Edinburgh and announced his intention to stand for leader of the Scottish National Party.

In his speech, Swinney said he wants to build on the work of the Scottish government to "unite the SNP and Scotland for independence".

He added: "Ministers that act on my behalf will be working ferociously to deliver improvement in the lives of people in Scotland."

He extended an olive branch to Kate Forbes, saying she would play a "significant" role in his cabinet, if elected.

"I am no caretaker. I am no interim leader." said Swinney.

"I am offering to to take the party through the Westminster election and beyond the 2026 elections - two contests I intend to win for the SNP and for Scotland."

He confidently referred to his "formidable electoral track record".

"I'm the longest-serving parliamentarian in Scotland. I've won every single election I have contested with my name on the ballot paper since 1997.

"There's nobody else in Scotland that has done that."

Within a few hours, his biggest leadership rival Kate Forbes had dropped out of the race and given Swinney her backing to be Scotland's next first minister.

Quite the day indeed.

Read our profile of John Swinney here.

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Since becoming an MSP in the 2016 Scottish Parliamentary election, 34-year-old Kate Forbes has packed more into a short political career than many manage in decades.

She played a key role in Nicola Sturgeon’s cabinet, becoming Scotland’s first female finance secretary in 2020 and was narrowly defeated by Humza Yousaf in last year’s SNP leadership contest.

While she declared her “full support and confidence” in the new first minister, she declined the rural affairs portfolio in Yousaf’s cabinet which would be seen as a major demotion.

In recent days, Forbes' future has been speculated by many as one of the rumoured candidates for first minister following Humza Yousaf’s resignation.

Now, the MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch says she has “weighed the decision” as to whether or not to once again enter the leadership race and on reflection, decided to give her “full support and endorsement” to John Swinney.

Read our full profile of Kate Forbes here.

Now if you're just joining us John Swinney looks set to become Scotland's next first minister after Kate Forbes confirmed she would not challenge him for the SNP leadership. Here's the headlines so far:

• Swinney, the former deputy first minister and party leader, announced his intention to succeed Humza Yousaf and offered Forbes a "significant" role in his government

• Forbes later confirmed in a statement she would not stand in the contest and endorsed Swinney
• She said she would "join with John Swinney and advocate for that reform agenda within the Scottish government"
• Forbes said she had held “frank and constructive” talks with the former deputy first minister
• Swinney told the press conference in Edinburgh this morning he aimed to "unite Scotland for independence"

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• Swinney insisted he would not be an "interim leader" or a “caretaker" first minister and aimed to see out a full term should he win the leadership contest

• The former deputy first minister has been backed by SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn, deputy leader Keith Brown and cabinet ministers Neil Gray, Jenny Gilruth, Shirley-Anne Somerville and Mairi McAllan
• Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross called the decision of Forbes to back Swinney a "shady backroom deal''
• "All the SNP are offering is yesterday's man", said Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar

Unsurprisingly the Scottish Tories are not impressed by today's developments, calling it a "shady backroom deal".

The party's leader Douglas Ross has claimed that Kate Forbes "caved into SNP demands for a stitch-up" which would avoid "the bloodbath of another leadership contest".

He says the agreement is only applying a "sticking plaster to a gaping wound" regarding infighting within the SNP and that John Swinney's "fingerprints are all over 17 years of SNP failure and secrecy".

Some of Kate Forbes allies have taken to social media to express their support for her decision.

Michelle Thomson, the SNP MSP, stated it was "a class statement from a class act" and that she was pleased to see Forbes and Swinney "agreeing a way forward."

She added that the SNP had "always been at its best when it is mainstream and delivering for the people of Scotland. We have much to do."

Ivan McKee, the Glasgow Provan MSP, wrote on X that it was "an excellent statement." He added that Forbes shared Swinney's aim to "govern from the mainstream, focusing on the interests of the people of Scotland."

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Following the news that Kate Forbes has decided not to run for leader of the SNP, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar says the SNP has "put the interests of their party before the country, yet again".

Sarwar says: “The people of Scotland are crying out for change – but all the SNP is offering them is yesterday’s man in John Swinney.

“Scotland’s public services are in crisis with almost one in six Scots on NHS waiting lists, the economy stagnating and homelessness on the rise.

“Rather than facing up to the challenges that we face, the SNP has put the interests of their party before the country yet again. It’s time for change."

Kate Forbes also says John Swinney will "return the SNP to governing from the mainstream", which will please those in the SNP who felt the ideas of the Scottish Greens had too much influence in recent years.

She adds that "a just transition to ‘net zero’ must work with, and not against, our communities and businesses" and that this mainstream vision is "evidently demanded by the Scottish public."

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If you're just joining us, Kate Forbes has announced she won't be standing for the SNP leadership - and will back John Swinney instead.

In a statement released in the last few minutes, she said the best way to deliver the urgent change Scotland needed was to join with Swinney and advocate for reform within the Scottish government.

Earlier, John Swinney said he wanted to see Kate Forbes return to a senior role if he was elected as first minister.

The SNP MSP goes on to say: "John will therefore have my support and endorsement in any campaign to follow.

Forbes adds: "You can be certain that delivering on the priorities for which we have, together, advocated in recent years has been at the heart of today’s decision.

"It is now clear from this morning’s statement that in John Swinney we have someone who not only understands that need for reform, but has now committed to delivering it.

"I look forward to playing my role in making that happen."

Kate Forbes goes on to say: "I have therefore weighed the decision whether or not to seek the leadership of the party with great care.

Ultimately, I have concluded that the best way to deliver the urgent change Scotland needs is to join with John Swinney and advocate for that reform agenda within the Scottish government.

"I can therefore today announce that I will not be seeking nomination as the next SNP leader."

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Kate Forbes says she was greatly heartened by John Swinney's drive to restore a sense of courtesy and dignity to the "way we conduct ourselves as a party and as a Parliament".

She adds: "I have also had the opportunity to speak directly with him to discuss the future of our party and our country.

"Those discussions on the future of the SNP and our vision for Scotland were both frank and constructive."

"What emerged was that we share a powerful common purpose for the country."