Trump congratulates 'good man' Swinney on Scotland election win
Mr Swinney had set his goal at winning an overall majority at Holyrood, saying that would provide a renewed mandate for a push for Scottish independence
US president Donald Trump has described John Swinney as a “good man” as he congratulated him on his election win.
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The SNP will remain Scotland’s largest party after winning 58 seats on Friday, a drop from the 64 MSPs elected for the party in 2021.
Mr Swinney had set his goal at winning an overall majority at Holyrood, saying that would provide a renewed mandate for a push for Scottish independence.
In a post on the Truth Social platform on Saturday, the US president said of Mr Swinney: “He is a good man, who worked very hard, along with the King and Queen of the United Kingdom, with respect to Tariff relief for Great Scottish Whiskey – and deserves this Big Electoral Victory!”
The First Minister had pushed hard for an end to Scotch whisky tariffs last year, with the president crediting him when the levies were eventually scrapped last month.
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The issue caused a wrangle between Mr Swinney and the UK Government over who should receive the credit for the scrapping of the tariffs.
Scottish Labour also endured a torrid election, dropping from 22 seats in 2021 to 17, level with Reform UK in second place.
But party leader Anas Sarwar remained defiant, telling journalists at his Glasgow count on Friday his party was “hurting”, adding; “We advocate for change, we didn’t win that argument, but it’s my job to hold us together and that’s a job I intend to do.”
The Scottish Greens, meanwhile, increased their MSP count to a record high of 15, including their first two wins in local constituencies, with former co-leader Lorna Slater unseating the SNP’s Culture Secretary Angus Robertson in the day’s biggest scalp.
The party’s new MSP for Glasgow Southside – the seat held by former first minister Nicola Sturgeon for 15 years – Holly Bruce, said the wins showed the Greens were no longer a “wasted vote” in local seats.
The Scottish Tories dropped from second place to fourth with 12 seats, while the Lib Dems increased their tally to 10 MSPs.
Speaking after winning a mandate to be returned as First Minister, Mr Swinney said the relationship between the Scottish Government and UK Government had “soured” over recent months.
“I’d like to enjoy a more co-operative relationship with the United Kingdom Government,” he said.
Adding that Labour had “just been hammered in Scotland”, Mr Swinney said: “I hope that lesson is learned in Downing Street that there’s now got to be respect for the Scottish Government exercised by the UK Government.”
He continued: “My message to Downing Street tonight is very, very clear – they have got a lot of listening to do to the fact that Labour have been hammered here in Scotland and an SNP Government, after 19 years in office, has just been emphatically returned to office, and Scotland needs respect as a consequence of that election outcome.”