Swinney says Scottish government writing too many strategy papers – BBC News

Updated 3 hours ago

First Minister John Swinney says the Scottish government is producing too many strategy documents and “concrete actions” are needed instead.

In a speech in Glasgow, Mr Swinney said he said he wanted his ministers to have a “can do attitude”, which would remove obstacles in the economy.

He said: “A strategic approach is clearly essential, but I want the first question we ask ourselves to be – what can we do, rather than what can we write down.”

Mr Swinney added that his government would take a “moderate, left of centre position” rooted in European social democracy.

The first minister was speaking to key finance, business and economic stakeholders at the Barclays Glasgow Campus.

He set out the government’s broad priorities on the economy, saying the details of specific policies would come later.

The SNP leader said that in order to tackle child poverty, a “strong, successful, innovative and dynamic economy” was needed.

“There is no conflict in my mind or in the priorities of my government between eradicating child poverty and boosting economic growth,” he said.

“For me, and for my government, eradicating child poverty and boosting economic growth go hand in hand.”

Mr Swinney was introduced at the event by Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes.

She said: “This government is focused on job creation, is focused on economic growth and is focused on attracting investment.”

Mr Swinney said that when he stood down as deputy first minister in March last year, he did not realise he was in a “sort of sabbatical year” and would return to the head of the Scottish government.

“During that time I began to see the world, and crucially our politics from a very different perspective,” he said.

“To be honest, I didn’t like what I saw.

“I saw our politics as polarised, combative, disinterested in finding common ground, more interested in dragging down than building up.”

Mr Swinney was elected as first minister after 16 years in key government roles under both Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon.

Mr Swinney also hit out at Rishi Sunak over the “astonishing” decision to tighten migration policies for those seeking to come to the UK.

He criticised the prime minister for posting on social media that people such as care workers and overseas students looking to bring dependent family members with them had been “stopped”.

Mr Swinney said that such people should be welcome.

He added that growing the country’s population was “central” to what he described as an “ambitious agenda for growth and opportunity in Scotland”.

His comments came after the UK Migration Advisory Committee warned earlier this week that recent policy changes – such as the ban on many overseas students bringing dependants and the increase in the salary thresholds for skilled workers – would impact the number of overseas graduates working in the UK.

Mr Swinney added: “It is in Scotland’s interests to have a more generous system, not a tighter one.”

He said students should be allowed to stay and work for five years after completing their studies, to encourage the “best and brightest” to remain.

He also said there should be a “return to the approach of European freedom of movement”.

However, Murdo Fraser, Scottish Conservatives business spokesman, said Mr Swinney must think Scots “are buttoned up the back”.

He said: “Scotland’s struggling businesses will be waiting with bated breath to see if these warm words are followed up with positive action.

“They heard all the same rhetoric about a reset when Humza Yousaf took office last year.”