THE SNP are “back in business” and “very optimistic” ahead of next year’s Holyrood elections, First Minister John Swinney has declared.
The SNP leader told journalists that there was “heavy lifting” required by the party ahead of polling day.
Recent polling suggested that the Scottish Parliament will see a pro-independence majority of MSPs returned, with the SNP at 34% of the constituency vote.
It comes after former first minister Nicola Sturgeon was cleared of any wrongdoing in the Police Scotland investigation into the party’s finances, Operation Branchform.
Former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Thursday on a charge of embezzlement, where he made no plea or declaration. He was committed for further examination and bailed.
Swinney confirmed that he has spoken to Sturgeon following the announcement.
At an internal party gathering at the weekend, the FM is reported to have given members an “assurance” that “our resources will always be used wisely”.
As ministers met in Kirkintilloch on Monday for the 54th Travelling Cabinet, Swinney said he had promised the “highest standards of governance” when he took on the job last May, adding: “That’s exactly what I’m putting into practice.”
“I’m really pleased with the election results that we’re now delivering on the ground. Opinion polls are healthy for us, the party’s in good heart, the party is in great heart, and I’m very optimistic.”
While Labour had been leading in the polls in Scotland following last summer’s General Election victory, a fall in support for Keir Starmer’s party has put the SNP on top again.
If Swinney was to win next May, it would be the fifth consecutive Scottish Parliament election victory for the SNP.
“I’m very, very pleased with where the SNP is. Just now we’ve just … we’re leading in the opinion polls,” Swinney said.
“I don’t think people would have suspected that when I became First Minister 11 months ago.”
He also noted recent council by-election successes for the SNP, adding: “We’ve just won two seats from Labour on Glasgow City Council, on top of [...] one in Broxburn, another one in Kilmarnock and another one in Bannockburn in the course of the last few weeks. So, we’re back to winning seats again.
“We went for 22 months without winning a local government by-election and we have just won five seats in 2025 already.
“So, I think, electorally, we’re doing better.”
Candidates for the Holyrood constituencies will be in place by May, the leader added, as he said he had “reorganised our party headquarters, and that’s now on a firm footing”.
He stated: “All the things I said to the party we would do, the heavy lifting that’s required to get ready for 2026, is all happening.
“We’re building up and working very hard to win in 2026, which is what I intend to do.”
Swinney also warned he expects the Chancellor’s spring statement this week to include “damaging cuts” to Scotland’s economy.
Swinney told the PA news agency he had “two principal worries” about the spring statement on Wednesday.
He said: “The first is that I think some of the most vulnerable in our society are going to be targeted by a Labour Government and I can hardly believe that a Labour Government has actually taken more damaging decisions than even the reckless Conservative government took in relation to people with vulnerability in our society.
“And the second thing is that I suspect the mismanagement of the economy by the Labour Government is going to result in spending cuts that will have a damaging effect on Scotland, and that will not help us to eradicate child poverty, that will not help us to improve our public services, particularly the National Health Service, and all of that is happening at the hands of a Labour Government.”
It comes after the UK Government announced £5 billion worth of welfare cuts last week, largely from a reduction in support for disabled people and those claiming incapacity benefits.
