John Swinney elected next first minister of Scotland

John Swinney has been elected to be the seventh first minister of Scotland, following a vote in the Scottish Parliament.

He is expected to be sworn in officially on Wednesday morning.

He received the backing of 64 MSPs – all 63 members of his own party, plus Alba’s Ash Regan.

Following the vote, Swinney pledged to be a first minister “for everyone in Scotland” and urged opposition parties to work with him to ensure parliament could pass legislation and budgets.

He said: “I will be unapologetic about bringing to this parliament the measures we can take to eradicate child poverty and I look forward to seeking the support of others to achieve that aim. I recognise, that is how it is going to have to work. I am leading a minority government. I will need to reach out to others to make things happen.

“If we want to fund our schools and our hospitals, if we want to give our businesses a competitive edge, if we want to take climate action, if we want to eradicate child poverty, if we want to change people’s lives for the better, we have to work together to do so.

“I commit my government to working to create that agreement across the chamber. I hope there is the space and the willingness for that to happen in the interests of the people who sent us here.

“To the people of Scotland I would simply say this. I offer myself to be the first minister for everyone in Scotland. I am here to serve you. I will give everything I have to build the best future for our country.”

Swinney became the leader of the SNP on Monday. He did not face an internal contest as no other member submitted a nomination.

A reshuffle of the cabinet is widely expected to take place on Wednesday.

Four MSPs submitted their nominations to become the next first minister: Lib Dem Alex Cole-Hamilton, Tory Douglas Ross, Labour’s Anas Sarwar and Swinney.

Ross received 31 votes, Sarwar secured 22 and Cole-Hamilton got four.

The Greens confirmed their intention to abstain from the vote beforehand, given Swinney an outright majority of votes cast in the first round.

But speaking after Swinney’s election, Green co-leader Lorna Slater warned her party’s support for the government was contingent on it continuing to deliver on commitments such as those made as part of the Bute House Agreement.

The Greens were in government until two weeks ago, when former first minister Humza Yousaf ditched the deal which ultimately ended his own leadership.

Slater said: “The Scottish Greens will keep working for a better future with courage and determination and I hope the new Scottish Government will as well.”

Earlier on Tuesday, Humza Yousaf officially resigned from the post.

Speaking in the chamber shortly afterwards, Yousaf said: “My heart will forever belong to Scotland. So to have the opportunity to defy the far-right, to defy the racists, to defy the bigots who told me to go home, but be in a position to serve my home, to contribute to public life in my home and to have had to opportunity to lead my home – well, that has been the most tremendous honour that I didn’t think was reserved for people who looked like me.”