John Swinney’s three worst moments in office

And so we have it: a nationalist coronation, as yet another First Minister resigns. John Swinney, formerly Nicola Sturgeon’s deputy FM and onetime leader of the SNP himself, has been elected – unopposed – as the new leader of the Scottish National party. Thought to have been parachuted in by the party establishment, Swinney’s coronation was almost foiled by ‘flatulence in a trance‘ SNP activist Graeme McCormick who, by some quirk in the SNP’s constitution, had enough nominations to stand against the MSP for the leadership. But, at the eleventh hour, the renegade backed down after having ‘lengthy and fruitful’ talks with Swinney himself.

Branded the ‘unity’ candidate, the new SNP leader is thought to have made a pact with Kate Forbes, who was expected to run against him for the top job. Forbes announced she would not be standing on Thursday, endorsing Swinney instead as offering a vision of ‘competent, candid government earning the trust of the people’.