John Swinney set to be sworn in as first minister and appoint cabinet

Mr Swinney is expected to name his Cabinet later on Wednesday with Kate Forbes to be handed a key role

John Swinney will be sworn in as the new First Minister of Scotland on Wednesday and is expected to appoint his Cabinet on the same day.

The ceremony at the Court of Session in Edinburgh will involve the Perthshire North MSP making his statutory declarations, after which he will be granted his official title of First Minister and Keeper of the Scottish Seal.

He is then expected to begin cabinet appointments with Kate Forbes expected to be handed a key role.

John Swinney in the main chamber after being voted in as First Minister

Yesterday, Mr Swinney pleaded with his rivals for a new collaborative politics as he vowed to end the "intensely polarised" nature of Holyrood.

After accepting the nomination, Mr Swinney stressed that Holyrood is “not the collaborative place it has been in the past” as he committed to work with all other opposition parties to make progress in his leadership at the helm of a minority SNP government.

Mr Swinney pointed to the “eradication of child poverty” as well as improving public services and growing the economy as his key priorities as he acknowledged he will only be able to get things done if he reaches out to his opponents.

John Swinney, with his wife Elizabeth Quigley, on the steps of Bute House after he was voted by MSPs to be Scotland's next first minister. Photo: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire

He warned that Holyrood has been “intensely polarised” in recent years, adding that he will “accept my part in creating that environment”, including by having “shouted put-downs from a front bench” and “heckling from a sedentary position”.

With a wry smile, Mr Swinney added: “That all stops. I’ve changed.”

He said: “This is not the collaborative place it has been in the past.”

In a vote at Holyrood, Mr Swinney won the backing of 64 MSPs, with his nearest rival Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross picking up 31. Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar secured 22 votes, with the head of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, Alex Cole-Hamilton, winning four. The seven Scottish Green MSPs abstained.

Scottih Green Party co-leader Lorna Slater

Mr Swinney, who got up from his seat on the front bench to shake hands with every opposition leader after his speech, questioned whether “our disagreement on the constitution prevent us from working collaboratively within the existing powers of the parliament to eradicate child poverty, build the economy, support jobs, address the cost of living crisis, improve the health service and tackle the climate crisis”.

He added: “I will give all of my energy, and my willingness to engage and listen, to ensure that is not the case. I invite others to do the same.”

The Perthshire North MSP pointed to “a focus on the economy, our National Health Service and public services” as well as “a drive to lift children out of poverty”.

Despite his pledge to work with unionist parties, Mr Swinney insisted that “Scottish self-government is the right way forward for Scotland” through independence.

Mr Swinney claimed that ending the Union would “equip this parliament with the powers it needs to match the success of those comparable independent states”. He added that independence would provide “more resources for our National Health Service” and “the opportunity to grow our economy free from a broken Westminster economic model”.

He added: “Both those who are against independence and those who are in favour deserve to be heard through dialogue, debate and deliberation.

“I believe it’s possible to argue respectfully our different positions.”

In accepting the nomination to become the next First Minister, Mr Swinney paid thanks to his family, watching in the Holyrood gallery, particularly his wife Elizabeth who has multiple sclerosis.

He acknowledged he had taken time to talk over whether taking on the top job was right for his family, concluding that “we will manage”.

Mr Swinney added that he has “profound eternal gratitude for the sacrifices she is prepared to make to enable her husband to service our country as First Minister”.

Mr Ross also pointed to the “strain” being an elected politician has have on families, stressing “that is magnified tenfold when the politician holds the office of first minister”.

He said his party would “offer our strength and support to the entire Swinney family”.

But Mr Ross warned that Mr Swinney’s government “cannot just serve one side of the constitutional argument”, adding that “it must deliver for the whole of Scotland”.

The Tory leader claimed that “the legislative achievements of this session (of parliament) are few and far between”. He accused Mr Swinney’s predecessors of having “run out of its own ideas”, and borrowed “policy ideas from the extreme Greens”.

He said: “John Swinney must swiftly change course and deliver a bold, new policy agenda for the SNP government instead of treading water like his predecessors.”

Mr Ross called on Mr Swinney to “reach beyond a nationalist coalition to compromise and find consensus in this parliament”.

But he added that the “key to delivering that would be putting the campaign for independence on the backburner” and treat him taking the keys to Bute House “as a reset moment”.

The Scottish Labour leader also appeared to back more collaboration, calling on Mr Swinney to “work across this chamber in a way that has sadly escaped his predecessors”.

Mr Sarwar added: “We will continue to work constructively when we can and promote the national interest.”

But Mr Sarwar claimed that the SNP has been “one of the architects of divisive politics”.

He added: “I do now question the rhetoric and the pretense of them now somehow being the great unifiers of our nation.”

The Labour leader called for “an end to the incompetence in managing our public services”.

Mr Swinney has indicated a shift away from SNP governments being propped up by the Scottish Greens. Mr Yousaf’s move to tear up the Bute House Agreement signalled the end of his premiership and has prompted the first minister in waiting to appeal to unionist opponents instead.

Co-leader of the Scottish Greens, Lorna Slater, said that despite the end of her party’s co-operation agreement with the government, “there was so much work still to be completed”, highlighting plans for rent controls and decarbonising how buildings are heated and demands for a “water-tight ban on conversion therapy”.

She called on Mr Swinney to “lay out whether the government will continue with these progressive policies” or “retreat to the middle ground” and “rely on the Tories” for support.

Ms Slater added: “Our door remains open.”

Nicola Sturgeon, who was first minister when Mr Swinney served as deputy, wished him “all the luck in the world”.

Writing on X, formerly known as Twitter, she added: “I have worked closely with John Swinney for more than 30 years. He was by my side throughout my time as FM - as deputy, friend and confidante.

“He is one of the kindest and most decent people I know - and without doubt the right person to be FM in this moment, for both party and country.

“Aside from his family, I doubt there is anyone in Scotland prouder of John today than I am.”

Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said: “I would like to congratulate John Swinney on being elected First Minister of Scotland.

“I hope that he will prioritise the issues that really matter to people in Scotland, like improving failing public services and growing our economy. I want him to work constructively with the UK government on our joint projects to boost Scotland’s prosperity – including freeports, city deals and investment zones.

“Most of all, I hope that Mr Swinney will govern for the whole of Scotland. He needs to put aside his obsession with independence, and concentrate on contributing to a thriving Scotland within a strong United Kingdom.”