SNP in strong position despite election ‘setback’, Swinney says

The Scottish First Minister said his party would learn lessons to take into the 2026 Holyrood election.

John Swinney said his party suffered a ‘setback’ at the general election (Jane Barlow/PA) (PA Wire)

The SNP remains in a “strong position” despite the general election “setback”, John Swinney has said as he switches his focus to 2026.

The Scottish First Minister said he was “deeply concerned” about his party’s poor electoral performance on July 4, which saw the SNP drop to just nine seats from 48 in 2019.

Senior party figures have called for a reset, including former SNP MP Mhairi Black, who urged Mr Swinney to be “real and brutal” about the challenges his party faces.

The SNP remains in a strong position. We’ve lost parliamentary seats – that’s a setback

John Swinney

In one of his first interviews since the election, Mr Swinney told the PA news agency the general election was just a “setback” and he pledged to win over voters in the 2026 Scottish Parliament vote.

He said: “The SNP remains in a strong position. We’ve lost parliamentary seats – that’s a setback.

“But we’ve got secure foundations and I intend to build on those in advance of the 2026 elections, and to make sure that there is an understanding and an appreciation of the formidable record of the Scottish Government in representing the people of Scotland.”

Mr Swinney, who was visiting St Fergus’ Gas Terminal, near Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, on Monday, added: “I’m deeply concerned about the implications of the election and the fact that I lost so many experienced and valuable parliamentary colleges.

“I have expressed publicly my sympathy with these individuals and to the staff who have been affected as a consequence.”

The process of reflection is already under way, with Mr Swinney stating his party would “learn lessons”.

He said: “The SNP has got to look long and hard at the election campaign. That’s what we’re doing just now. Our party executive will consider off of these issues in early August and will reflect on the outcome of the election.

“We’re obviously engaging with party members about all of these questions. It’s important that we learn those lessons, identify what the challenges were in the election campaign, and most importantly, remedy those challenges.”