First Minister John Swinney faced a bruising session at Holyrood, with his government's integrity and policy claims coming under sustained fire from opposition leaders and even from within his own party ranks.
Opposition Leaders Target "Integrity" and "Balderdash"
Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay set the tone, weaving the theme of integrity into a series of pointed questions. He first tackled the Angela Constance saga before challenging the SNP's repeated claim that most taxpayers pay less in Scotland than elsewhere in the UK. "John Swinney often talks about integrity, yet his party and his government have none," Findlay stated sharply. He dismissed the First Minister's taxation assertion as "arithmetical balderdash", accusing ministers of peddling it in hope of voter gullibility.
When Swinney retorted that he had set the highest tests for accountability and scrutiny, it prompted a sardonic reference to his deletion of Covid-era messages, done, as the opposition implied, in the name of that very scrutiny. The Tory leader's proposal to cut taxes by tackling the "out-of-control benefits bill" provoked an angry reaction, with Swinney accusing Findlay of disregarding child poverty.
NHS Crisis and Internal Rebellion
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar shifted focus to the NHS, highlighting the delayed discharge crisis and blaming Swinney for 720,000 missed bed days last year. "There is no grip from the centre, no clear accountability and no effective oversight, all of which has human consequences," Sarwar charged. Swinney hit back, claiming his rival "simply makes it up as he goes along" and taunting him over internal Labour ructions.
The most striking challenge, however, came from the SNP's own benches. Backbencher Michelle Thomson, noted for her independent stance, confronted the First Minister over reports the Scottish Government was involved in secret legal moves to undermine a Supreme Court gender recognition judgment. Reminding Swinney of his multiple statements accepting the ruling, Thomson declared, "I am confused," and demanded he reconcile his words with his government's actions.
A Chilling Response and Lasting Fallout
Swinney's reply was described as icy, offering only that the government was "taking forward the steps to ensure that we have the correct guidance arrangements in place." Notably, this did not include a clear undertaking to respect the judgment. While embarrassing the leadership may not endear Thomson to party managers, her intervention underscored the fractures and intense scrutiny facing the SNP government on multiple fronts, from economic claims to social policy and healthcare management.
