Who is John Swinney?

John Swinney is First Minister of Scotland and leader of the Scottish National Party. He first took office in May 2024. After the SNP came first at the 2026 election without a majority, Parliament nominated him again on 19 May 2026.

He has been an MSP since the Parliament opened in 1999 and represents Perthshire North. He led the SNP from 2000 to 2004. In government he was Finance Secretary from 2007 to 2016 and Deputy First Minister from 2014 to 2023.

His government after the 2026 election

At the election on 7 May 2026 the SNP won 58 of the 129 seats: six fewer than in 2021, and seven short of a majority. Reform UK and Labour won 17 each, the Greens 15, the Conservatives 12 and the Liberal Democrats 10 (SPICe).

As of October 2026 the SNP group has 57 MSPs. Kenneth Gibson, elected for the SNP, became Presiding Officer on 14 May and sits without a party.

Parliament nominated Swinney as First Minister on 19 May 2026, and he was sworn in at the Court of Session the next day. He leads a minority SNP government; the SNP has led the Scottish Government since 2007.

His Cabinet, as of October 2026 (gov.scot):

• Jenny Gilruth, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government
• Angela Constance, Health and Care
• Stephen Flynn, Economy, Tourism and Transport
• Neil Gray, Justice
• Gillian Martin, Climate Action and Rural Affairs
• Màiri McAllan, Education, Culture and Gaelic
• Ivan McKee, Public Service Reform
• Shirley-Anne Somerville, Social Justice and Housing

Gilruth succeeded Kate Forbes, Deputy First Minister from May 2024 to May 2026. Portfolios change at reshuffles; GovConnex’s directory lists every MSP with their roles, committees and offices.

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Independence and priorities

Swinney supports Scottish independence. On his nomination in May 2026 he said voters had elected “the largest pro-independence majority in the history of devolution”.

On 23 July 2026 the Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, told him that another independence referendum was “off limits” (GOV.UK). In September, Swinney wrote to the Prime Minister asking to meet and agree a process for a future referendum.

His stated priorities for the new term include the cost of living, the NHS, the economy and the environment (gov.scot).

Early career and Westminster

Born in Edinburgh in 1964, Swinney went to Forrester High School and studied politics at the University of Edinburgh. He joined the SNP in 1979, aged 15.

Before Parliament he worked for the Scottish Coal Project, the consultancy Development Options and Scottish Amicable. He was the SNP’s national secretary from 1986 to 1992 and its depute leader from 1998 to 2000.

He was elected MP for North Tayside in 1997. After his election to the new Scottish Parliament in 1999, he stood down from Westminster at the 2001 general election.

SNP leader, 2000 to 2004

Swinney succeeded Alex Salmond as SNP leader in 2000, defeating Alex Neil for the post. He saw off a leadership challenge in 2003.

He stood down in 2004, after the European Parliament elections, and Salmond returned as leader.

In government, 2007 to 2023

When the SNP formed its first government in 2007, Swinney became Finance Secretary, a post he held until 2016. He became Deputy First Minister under Nicola Sturgeon in November 2014.

As Deputy First Minister he was also Education Secretary from 2016 to 2021 and Covid Recovery Secretary from 2021 to 2023. He was Deputy First Minister until March 2023, longer than anyone else to date.

He left government when Humza Yousaf succeeded Sturgeon in March 2023, and returned to the back benches.

First Minister since 2024

Yousaf announced his resignation in April 2024, after ending the SNP’s power-sharing agreement with the Scottish Greens. Swinney was the only candidate to succeed him and became SNP leader on 6 May 2024.

Parliament nominated him as First Minister on 7 May 2024. He was sworn in the next day as Scotland’s seventh First Minister, leading a minority government with Kate Forbes as his deputy.

His constituency

Swinney has represented Perthshire North since 2011, and before that North Tayside from 1999. The seat covers the north of Perth and Kinross, including part of Perth and the towns of Blairgowrie, Pitlochry and Aberfeldy.

It is in the Mid Scotland and Fife region. Boundaries Scotland’s second review, first used in 2026, changed it only slightly, near Perth, to follow council ward boundaries.

He held the seat on 7 May 2026 with 16,414 votes, a majority of 6,243 over the Conservatives’ Murdo Fraser. He and Jackie Baillie are the only MSPs to have served continuously since 1999.

Common questions

Who is the current First Minister of Scotland? John Swinney of the SNP. He first took office in May 2024, and the Scottish Parliament nominated him again on 19 May 2026, after that month’s election.

Who is the Deputy First Minister of Scotland? Jenny Gilruth, appointed in May 2026, who is also Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government. Kate Forbes held the post from May 2024 to May 2026.

How many seats did the SNP win in 2026? 58 of the 129 seats at the election on 7 May 2026. That is six fewer than in 2021, and seven short of a majority. Swinney leads a minority SNP government.

Which constituency does John Swinney represent? Perthshire North, in the Mid Scotland and Fife region, which he has held since 2011. He was MSP for North Tayside from 1999 to 2011, and MP for North Tayside from 1997 to 2001.

When did John Swinney become First Minister? In May 2024, succeeding Humza Yousaf. The Scottish Parliament nominated him on 7 May, and he was sworn in at the Court of Session on 8 May.