Swinney poised for cabinet reshuffle following by-election defeat

The Herald Scotland

08-06-2025

However, it follows his earlier remarks on the show where he expressed his 'obvious disappointment' at his party's results in the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election on Thursday.
Scottish Labour's Davy Russell won the seat over the SNP's Katy Loudon in a move which shocked pollsters, pundits and journalists.
The SNP were seen as the frontrunners throughout the race with suggestions from some polling that Reform could even overtake Labour.
However, Labour's Mr Russell received 8,559 votes on the night, a majority of 602 over the second-placed SNP.
Reform UK finished third with 7,088 votes, knocking the Conservatives into fourth place who received only 1,621 votes.
The vote followed the death of SNP MSP Christina McKelvie, who had represented the constituency since 2011.
The Herald was previously told Ms McAllan was expected to return to her role as Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy in July this year.
The SNP's Gillian Martin is currently the acting cabinet minister in this brief.
Today, Mr Swinney revealed he would be looking at his cabinet shortly.
Asked if he would be having an emergency reshuffle of his senior ministers, Mr Swinney said: 'Obviously, I've got a cabinet minister coming back from maternity leave so I have to look at the team. I'll be doing that in due course.'
His comments come after Scottish Constitution Secretary Angus Robertson said the SNP would need to "look very closely" at the by-election result and "learn the lessons" for the Holyrood elections.
Speaking earlier on the programme about their defeat, Mr Swinney said: 'Obviously, I'm disappointed that we didn't win the by-election on Thursday. We fought a very energetic campaign with an excellent candidate in Katy Loudon.
The First Minister said his party was still in 'a process of recovery' and they must 'get stronger' in order to win support.
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Mr Swinney said his party must focus on the NHS in order to win over voters.
'Improvements in performance in the National Health Service….We need to deliver on and that's exactly what I'm focused on in the course of my work as First Minister," he said.
However, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar accused Mr Swinney of running a 'dishonest and shameful' campaign which he argued drove voters into the arms of Reform UK at the recent by-election.
He also hit out at the 'commentariat' who he said are 'wanting to ignore a party that's been in power for 18 years.'
Mr Sarwar told the programme: 'The best John Swinney had to offer after eighteen years was to vote SNP to stop Farage.
"A dishonest, shameful campaign, lack of ambition, running down the clock and having no idea about what's affecting the daily lives of people in Scotland which is a disgrace.'
He added that the SNP campaign 'attempted to push people into the arms of reform rather than confront the issues that he caused in people's communities across the country.'
Mr Sarwar added: 'The people across Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse are tired of this SNP government that has failed them every single day, that has broken our NHS, that has seen a decline in our schools, has wasted billions of pounds and they reject them.
'They think they are out of steam, they think they are out of ideas and they want them out of office. I think that's clear and it's also clear that only Scottish Labour can do that.
'For all the noise of Reform and all the noise of Nigel Farage, people did reject Reform UK and Nigel Farage.'
After conversations on the doorstep of the constituency they have just won, Mr Sarwar said: 'People do want a UK Labour Government to go much quicker in terms of them making a demonstrable difference in their lives. I think that was loud and clear too.'
Mr Sarwar has said he would urge the Labour Government to 'do more' and pointed to specific policies such as the winter fuel payment creating 'frustration' amongst voters.
'We have to continue with economic stability, we have to get growth up that is going to improve jobs and conditions….Bringing people's interest rates down so that mortgages are reduced.'
During his interview this morning, Mr Sarwar said it was important to distinguish the different powers both Westminster and Holyrood hold.
He said more needs to be done to address the cost of living, energy bills and people's mortgages by the UK Government, however, he said Scots have been let down by the SNP through a 'broken NHS' and 'a decline' in education, transport and housing.
Mr Sarwar said: 'The choice next year is not to remove a UK Labour government, it's not to change who the Prime Minister is. The choice next year is a third decade of the SNP with John Swinney as First Minister or a new direction for Scotland with me.'