FIRST Minister John Swinney will pledge to “stand united with Scotland’s farmers” in the wake of tax changes proposed by the UK Government. Swinney will use a speech to the National Farmers Union ...

Carter's inaugural words will one day be the political epitaph of John Swinney. The First Minister, like Ford, is a conciliatory, decent man whose defining, lasting legacy with his party and his ...

John Swinney has accused Anas Sarwar of “opening the door” for Nigel Farage in a “desperate” bid to become First Minister. The Scottish Labour leader has ruled out “coalitions or agreements” with ...

John Swinney has said his Government will not allow a legal release of lynx or other large carnivores in Scotland, as he also urged caution on the reintroduction of beavers. The First Minister was ...

John Swinney has ruled out the reintroduction of lynx or other large carnivores in Scotland. The First Minister was quizzed on his rewilding policies as he spoke to members of the National Farmers ...

It is an unusual topic for John Swinney, who is more often seen discussing issues such as the state of the NHS and proposed increases to council tax. But the First Minister has now been forced to ...

A rattled John Swinney yesterday tried to defend spending £1billion on a ‘five-star prison’ as he was accused of building a ‘luxury resort’ for rapists and murderers. Amid angry scenes at ...

John Swinney has defended the £1bn cost of the new jail to replace Barlinnie and accused the Conservative leader, Russell Findlay, who criticised the cost, of “abhorrent rhetoric”. The pair clashed at ...

Yesterday marked a triple whammy of failure for John Swinney and the SNP. Record numbers of children are stuck in temporary accommodation, the number of Scots dying from alcohol abuse is at a 15-year ...

John Swinney has blamed Liz Truss for the estimated costs of building a replacement Barlinnie prison rising to almost £1 billion. The First Minister pointed to the short-lived Tory leader as the ...

An SNP MSP has urged John Swinney to "stop genuflecting to the Greens" and back a third runway for Heathrow. Fergus Ewing said the First Minister "has got to be for it or against it", rather than ...