John Swinney says Tories ‘cannot be out of office quick enough’ after 14 years in power

John Swinney won a round of applause from a live TV audience last night when he said he would rather see Keir Starmer than Rishi Sunak in 10 Downing Street.

Asked who the better choice for Scotland would be, the First Minister told a BBC Question Time audience: “I think the Conservative Government has been a total disaster and a calamity. So it cannot be out of office quick enough in my view.

“I think it is an absolute certainty that the Labour Party will win the election in England, and I hope people in Scotland will recognise the importance of having strong SNP voices in the House of Commons who will argue for decisions to be made in Scotland for Scotland and will put the interests of people in Scotland first.”

Swinney also said that when he became party leader at a “difficult time” just over six weeks ago, he was tasked with rebuilding the trust of the Scottish people and with improving people’s lives.

He said the SNP is committed to eradicating child poverty and strengthening the economy, as well as pledging to “put in the resources” to address immediate problems like NHS waiting lists.

Swinney also highlighted the importance of Scottish independence and of rejoining the EU to his party’s domestic agenda, and made his arguments for independence clear when asked whether he would settle for more devolved powers instead.

Swinney said: “I’m never going to say “no” to more powers for the Scottish Parliament. But what I want to be able to do is to do the things that will transform people’s lives.

“I want to live in a fairer, more equal country. I want to live in a country that prioritises the improvement of our economy and strengthening the rights and the responsibilities of people in our country. I don’t think that can be achieved for us in the United Kingdom.

“I want Scotland to be like Denmark, or Ireland, or Sweden as an independent country. And when you look at those countries, they are more prosperous, they are more equal, they are fairer than Scotland and the United Kingdom.

“And that’s a prize I think people in Scotland are attracted to and want to make sure happens for our country.”

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