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John Swinney

@johnswinney.bsky.social

7.4K followers 76 following 500 posts

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 First Minister, SNP Leader, MSP for Perthshire North. Delivering progress for Scotland. Promoted by John Swinney, 17-19 Leslie St, Blairgowrie, PH10 6AH

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John Swinney @johnswinney.bsky.social · Aug 26

Every time living standards fall, Nigel Farage blames migration.

And every time, Keir Starmer nods along.

People are struggling with the cost of living and blaming migration won’t fix that.

Scotland deserves better - a fairer, wealthier, welcoming future with independence.

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John Swinney @johnswinney.bsky.social · 4h

Rising bills. Falling living standards. The UK economic model is broken.

Independence is the fresh start for Scotland - so we can build a wealthier, fairer nation shaped by the people who live here.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿👉 yes.scot/decide

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John Swinney @johnswinney.bsky.social · 10h

Scotland has enormous resources and huge potential, but we are being held back by Westminster governments that treat us like an afterthought.

It’s time for a fresh start. An independent Scotland.

Today I have published our latest paper on what it could look like: www.gov.scot/publications...

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John Swinney @johnswinney.bsky.social · 15h

Independence is about giving Scotland a fresh start - and a chance to build an economy that works for us.

A future where all decisions are made by people who live here.

I’m in the stunning National Portrait Gallery this morning, where I will set out more at 9am.

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John Swinney @johnswinney.bsky.social · 1d

On the second anniversary of the heinous terror attack on 7 October, we remember the victims and stand united with Jewish communities in Scotland and around the world.

We must confront the evil of antisemitism, build lasting peace in the Middle East and ensure humanity prevails.

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John Swinney @johnswinney.bsky.social · 2d

Independence puts Scotland’s vast energy resources - and our future - back in Scotland’s hands.

Lower bills, a fairer society and a fresh start away from the Westminster chaos.

My column in today’s Daily Record: www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politic...

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John Swinney @johnswinney.bsky.social · 4d

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Delighted to join @jennygilruth.bsky.social to launch her SNP re-election campaign and then to campaign with Anne Marie Caldwell - our outstanding, local candidate in the Methil, Buckhaven and Wemyss Villages by-election. #VoteSNP

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John Swinney @johnswinney.bsky.social · 5d

After the horrific Manchester synagogue attack, I want to promise Scotland’s Jewish communities that we will take every step necessary to ensure their safety.

Scotland must stand as one, rejecting the poison of antisemitism, racism and hate.

My full statement 👇

www.gov.scot/news/manches...

Manchester synagogue attack

First Minister: Scotland must stand firm against those who seek to divide us.

www.gov.scot

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John Swinney @johnswinney.bsky.social · 6d

What are we doing to help with the cost of living?

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scrapped peak rail fares
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Free prescriptions and eye tests
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Lower water bills and council tax than rest of the UK

While Westminster governments deliver cuts and chaos, the SNP is delivering for Scotland.

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John Swinney @johnswinney.bsky.social · 6d

This is encouraging news for Scotch Whisky, for our economy, and for Scotland.

Glad to see things may be moving in the right direction - great work from the @scotchwhiskyswa.bsky.social on securing a better deal for this vital industry.

US May Ease Tariffs on Scotch Whisky to Help Bourbon Industry

Trump administration officials are considering easing tariffs on Scotch whisky after Prime Minister Keir Starmer raised the issue with President Donald Trump at last month’s state visit.

www.bloomberg.com

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John Swinney @johnswinney.bsky.social · 6d

Horrified and heartbroken by the attack on a synagogue in Manchester, on Yom Kippur, the holiest time in the Jewish calendar.

My thoughts are with the victims, their families and all Jewish communities.

Antisemitism is an evil we must confront and stand resolutely against.

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John Swinney @johnswinney.bsky.social · 7d

Today, energy bills increase again across the UK.

Labour said they’d fix this - but on their watch, our energy bills are going up.

With independence, we can use our energy wealth to benefit people and bring bills down. That’s the fresh start Scotland needs. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

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John Swinney @johnswinney.bsky.social · 8d

Delighted that our Housing Bill was just passed by the Scottish Parliament.

It will deliver a fairer deal for tenants - more affordable rents, safer homes, stronger protections.

It will help prevent homelessness, and ultimately, change lives.

And it will bring new investment in housing.

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John Swinney @johnswinney.bsky.social · 8d

I welcome the diplomatic efforts underway to halt the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza.

The Israeli Government must end the conflict, humanitarian aid must flow and the hostages must be released. These steps can pave the way to a two-state solution.

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John Swinney @johnswinney.bsky.social · 9d

Proud to open the Energy Transition Skills Hub in Aberdeen today.

Backed by £4.5m of Scottish Government funding, it will prepare young people for skilled jobs in our booming renewables sector.

That’s what the Just Transition must be about - more jobs, more opportunities, more growth.

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John Swinney @johnswinney.bsky.social · 9d

This is good news and welcome support for a European path for Moldova.

The pressure and the disinformation from Russia have failed. Positive that the people of Moldova see their future in Europe.

Roberta Metsola @president.europarl.europa.eu · 9d

The future of Moldova is in Europe! 🇪🇺🇲🇩

On this historic step forward, the people of Moldova have chosen the path of democracy, hope and opportunities.

They have chosen Europe.

Europa este Moldova. Moldova este Europa.

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John Swinney @johnswinney.bsky.social · 11d

25 years ago I attended the signing of the twinning agreement between the beautiful towns of Pitlochry, in my constituency, and Confolens in France. Yesterday I met the successors of those who put the agreement in place.

Lovely to nurture relationships with our fellow Europeans. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇫🇷

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John Swinney @johnswinney.bsky.social · 12d

How can any government justify pushing children into poverty?

It beggars belief that the UK Labour government still hasn’t committed to scrapping the cruel two-child cap.

We are doing it in Scotland - while also delivering the Scottish Child Payment, the Baby Box, and more.

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John Swinney @johnswinney.bsky.social · 12d

I am very sorry to hear of the death of Ming Campbell. He was a formidable, and courteous political leader who served the people of NE Fife with devotion, and was a strong voice for establishing the Scottish Parliament.

My sympathy to the LibDems and to his family.

Former Lib Dem leader Sir Menzies Campbell dies aged 84

Sir Menzies led the Liberal Democrats from 2006 to 2007 and was the MP for North East Fife at Westminster for 28 years.

www.bbc.co.uk

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John Swinney @johnswinney.bsky.social · 13d

I am opposed to mandatory digital ID - people should be able to go about their daily lives without such infringements.

That aside, by calling it BritCard, the Prime Minister seems to be attempting to force every Scot to declare ourselves British.

I am a Scot. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

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John Swinney @johnswinney.bsky.social · 13d

No matter how much Tories and Labour love to talk down Scotland, we are big enough, smart enough and wealthy enough to succeed.

Scotland’s economy is already growing faster than the UK - and independence would give us the full powers to go further.

Here are the facts. 👇

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John Swinney @johnswinney.bsky.social · 14d

Politics is about choices - and I will always choose to lift children out of poverty.

This is our national mission for Scotland.

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John Swinney @johnswinney.bsky.social · 14d

This is dangerous, reckless, anti-science nonsense.

Paracetamol is safe to use and Nigel Farage should stop spreading misinformation.

LBC @lbc.co.uk · 14d

"We were told thalidomide was a safe drug and it wasn't..."

Nigel Farage says he has 'no idea' if Donald Trump is right about paracetamol being linked to autism.

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John Swinney @johnswinney.bsky.social · 14d

Child poverty in Scotland is lower than 30 years ago and falling, unlike the rest of the UK.

But there is much more to do - by working together, we must deliver more joined-up services for families, when and where they need it.

This is what Whole Family Support is all about.

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John Swinney @johnswinney.bsky.social · 14d

We will leave no stone unturned in lifting children out of poverty.

It’s great to be in sunny Glasgow this morning to address the Whole Family Support conference - where I will set out how we’ll deliver more joined-up support for families in Scotland.

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John Swinney @johnswinney.bsky.social · 15d

The Maclean brothers have shown the world what Scotland is made of – resilience, teamwork, compassion.

They rowed all the way across the Pacific, breaking records and raising over £1 million for clean water projects in Madagascar.

Great to welcome them to Parliament today. 🤝

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