JOHN Swinney branded the Scottish Tories a “disgrace” during a First Minister’s Questions where the party were repeatedly told off for shouting and interrupting proceedings.
During an exchange about depleting teacher numbers in Scotland – which Swinney pledged to address with local authorities – the First Minister called out the Tories for proposing a £1 billion tax cut in the Scottish Budget.
He claimed leader Russell Findlay delivered an “embarrassing interview” on TV on Sunday where he “could not provide a specific answer” to where these cuts would come from.
And while MSPs on the Tory benches were reprimanded on more than one occasion for disturbing the session, Swinney called out their behaviour in a week where they attempted to take free bus travel away from asylum seekers in Scotland.
Swinney said to Findlay: “He argues for a tax cut of £1bn in public expenditure which will reduce public spending by £1bn and the savings he has identified total £54 million.
“He has a £950m gaping hole.”
At this point, Presiding Officer Alison Johnstone told off the Tory benches for “loud shouts” as the FM was forced to sit down.
Swinney then went on: “When I watched him being interviewed on television on Sunday, he could not provide a specific answer to any of the issues about where the cuts would come. It was an embarrassing interview.
“Presiding Officer, there are school pupils watching this exchange in the gallery today and I would say quite simply this; if the behaviour of the Conservative Party in this chamber was prevalent in the schools of our country, that behaviour needs to be confronted and the Conservatives are a disgrace in this Parliament.”
Later on in the session, Green MSP Lorna Slater claimed there was a “Trumpification” of Scottish politics going on, pointing at the Tories and their efforts to “demonise” people seeking asylum.
Swinney said the Tories’ actions represented a “worrying departure” from the “prevailing actions” of the Scottish Parliament.
The FM highlighted how Winnie Ewing had encouraged MSPs to “live happily together with tolerance in Scotland” when she opened the Parliament 25 years ago, but Swinney said the Tories’ behaviour this week represented a “turning point” in that regard.
Elsewhere at FMQs, Swinney scolded Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar after he accidentally voted with the Tories twice on Wednesday evening.
MSPs rejected a motion from the Tories “condemning” free bus travel for asylum seekers. The Parliament instead voted for an amendment tabled by Shona Robison which effectively erased all of the Tories’ motion, replacing it with a statement welcoming action on the Winter Fuel Payment and two-child benefit cap.
Scottish Labour MSPs abstained on this particular vote but STV’s Colin Mackay reported that Sarwar had voted with the Tories after “pressing the wrong button”.
Speaking at FMQs, Swinney told Sarwar: “There was only one member that didn’t vote for that motion last night and that was Anas Sarwar.
“It wasn’t that he didn’t vote for it once, he managed not to vote for it twice.”
Later on in the session, Slater confronted Swinney about his “friendly chats” with president-elect Donald Trump.
Swinney said Trump had indicated a “willingness and enthusiasm” to come to the Scotland during the pair’s phone call on Tuesday night.
The First Minister said he spoke with the president-elect on a range of topics, including the Scotch whisky industry amid concerns about the impact of Trump’s proposed tariffs.
Slater condemned the actions of the president-elect and urged the First Minister to stand up to him and his divisive politics.
She said: “I was disappointed to hear that Scotland’s First Minister has been having friendly chats with President-elect Trump, with no discussion of his policy agenda.
“Donald Trump’s climate destroying, racist and conspiracy-theory based politics are endangering people and planet, and are the exact opposite of the future that we want for Scotland.
“Here in Scotland we proudly welcome refugees and immigrants as ‘new Scots.’ We value democracy, our environment, and the rule of law.
“First Minister, how can it be in Scotland’s interests to court the favours of someone like Donald Trump?”
Swinney said in response: “I am responsible for the government’s policy programme and its agenda and that agenda speaks for itself and I answer questions on that in a democratic parliament where I believe fundamentally in the rule of law.
“I recognise there will be political differences from one government to another, but I also have a duty to promote and protect the interests of Scotland.”
