Who Is John Swinney, Scottish National Party Leader Contesting UK Polls

John Swinney, Scotland’s new First Minister and leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP), will contest the UK general election on July 4. He faces a formidable challenge from a resurgent Labour Party and incumbent Conservatives. Despite not holding a seat in the UK Parliament, the 60-year-old’s candidacy marks a bold bid for the top job.

His SNP Party is struggling to fend off the Labour Party in Scotland, posing a significant threat to their hopes of independence. As he navigates this critical moment for Scots, Mr Swinney must balance his leadership of the Scottish government with his ambition to become Prime Minister, while tackling key policy objectives such as child poverty, NHS investment and sustainable economic growth.

Here are some facts about SNP leader John Swinney:

1. John Swinney was born in Edinburgh on April 13, 1964. He studied at Forrester High School and later at the University of Edinburgh, where he graduated with a Master of Arts Honours degree in Politics in 1986. Mr Swinney is married to BBC Scotland journalist Elizabeth Quigley. The couple has a son. He also has a son and daughter from a previous marriage.

2. Mr Swinney worked at the Scottish Coal Project and Scottish Amicable Life Assurance for five years. His political journey began in 1979, when he joined the SNP at 15, following a failed referendum on Scottish devolution. Mr Swinney quickly rose through the ranks, becoming the leader of the SNP’s youth wing and later serving as the party’s secretary at just 22 years old. He was first elected to Westminster in 1997, representing Tayside North, and has since become Scotland’s longest-serving elected parliamentarian.

3. In 2000, Mr Swinney became the leader of the SNP. However, during his tenure, the party saw disappointing election results, leading to his resignation in 2004. He later joined Alex Salmond’s government as Finance Secretary in 2007, serving nine years. Mr Swinney then became Deputy First Minister to Nicola Sturgeon in 2014, a role he held until 2023. At the same time, he also served as Education Secretary and Covid Recovery Secretary. 

4. After briefly stepping back from government in February 2023, he was called back to lead the SNP in May 2024 following Humza Yousaf’s resignation. Now, he is steering the party through a sudden general election, amid a police investigation into the SNP’s funding and finances. The probe has already resulted in the arrest and charging of former chief executive Peter Murrell and the suspension of former health secretary Michael Matheson, embroiled in an £11,000 expense scandal.

5. John Swinney has presented himself as a steady hand for the upcoming elections, talking about the SNP’s commitment to Scotland’s interests and its push for a second independence referendum. He highlights the party’s achievements in government, including free prescriptions, free university tuition, free bus travel for under-22s and the Scottish Child Payment. Mr Swinney’s message is clear: a vote for the SNP is a vote to put Scotland first.