John Swinney faced a fierce grilling over the SNP's record on the NHS during the first televised leaders' debate of the election campaign. The First Minister was confronted by audience members who accused his government of creating a 'two-tier' health system, forcing patients to pay for private care to avoid lengthy waits.
One audience member described a relative waiting over two and a half years for an audiology test, eventually paying £1,800 for private treatment. Another highlighted a 10-hour A&E wait for someone 83rd in the queue. Swinney blamed the pandemic for delays, but was met with backlash from a second audience member who said waiting lists were growing before Covid.
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar pressed Swinney on the number of people waiting more than two years for treatment. When Swinney claimed not to know, Sarwar revealed it was 5,000, compared to just 300 in England, which is ten times larger. 'You've been in power for 20 years, take some responsibility for once,' Sarwar told him.
The debate also saw Swinney accused of arrogance after he told Sarwar he looked forward to defeating him on 7 May. Sarwar retorted: 'That's arrogance, John. People across the country will decide.' Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay echoed criticism of the NHS record, citing a woman who borrowed £15,000 from her children for a hip replacement.
Swinney also faced questions on independence, stating that an SNP majority would be a mandate for a second referendum by 2028. Only Findlay was firmly opposed, while other leaders offered conditional support. The First Minister accused the UK government of 'anti-Scottish' behaviour over blocking a Chinese wind turbine investment near Inverness.
