John Swinney Elected 7th First Minister of Scotland by Scottish Parliament

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On May 7, 2024, John Ramsay Swinney, leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP), was elected as the 7th First Minister of Scotland by the Scottish Parliament.

An Overview of the News

• John Swinney replaces Hamza Haroon Yusuf, who officially resigned from the position on May 7, 2024.

• Swinney's formal appointment will be granted through a Royal Warrant from His Majesty King Charles III of the United Kingdom (UK).

• John Swinney's nomination for First Minister was the result of a vote within the Scottish Parliament.

• Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) voted 64 to 57 in favor of selecting John Swinney as First Minister out of a total of 4 nominees, with seven abstentions.

About John Swinney

Background:

• John Swinney, aged 60, was born on April 13, 1964, in Edinburgh, Scotland. He joined the Scottish National Party (SNP) in 1979.

Political Career:

• In 1997, Swinney was elected as the Westminster Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tayside.

• Transitioning to Scottish politics, he became the Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Tayside North in 1999.

• Swinney held the position of deputy leader of the SNP from 1998 to 2000, and subsequently served as party leader from 2000 to 2004.

Government Positions:

• From 2011 to 2014, Swinney served as the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment, and Sustainable Growth.

• He assumed the role of Deputy First Minister from 2014 to 2023, achieving the distinction of being the longest-serving Deputy First Minister in the history of UK devolution.

• In addition to his deputy leadership, Swinney held various cabinet positions:

  • Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Constitution, and Economy from 2014 to 2016.

  • Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills from 2016 to 2021.

  • Cabinet Secretary for Covid Recovery from 2021 to 2023.

About Scotland

• First Minister- John Ramsay Swinney

• Capital - Edinburgh

• Currency - Pound sterling

• Official languages - Scots, Scottish Gaelic, English, British Sign Language

• National animal - Unicorn

• National flower - Thistle