Swinney is determined to remain as SNP leader, without a challenge until he decides to stand down. Facilitating his intent was done in secret by Swinney’s WOKE clique who changed the existing rules rendering leadership challenges almost impossible. Leadership challenges:
Before: 100 nominations from 20 Party branches.
Now: 2.5% of Party members nominations from 20 branches.
Party membership at July 2025 is around 55,000 x 2.5% = 1375 nominations. Swinney and his WOKE inspired leadership is bullet proof rgardless of the outcome of the 2026 Scottish G.E.
This is the real reason Kate Forbes and many other Scottish MSPs, (of the old school conviction) have recently announced their retirment from politics in 2026.
I fear independence for Scotland will be on the back burner unlit for many more years under the pervasive influence of Swinney’s insidious WOKE governments.
caltonjock 
I suspect Swinney is there because of Sturgeon’s corruption. He participated so Sturgeon has a certain amount of control over over him. He stays and protects her he also stays out of trouble. Sturgeon’s clique have had jobs and qangoes created for them. They deliver nothing more than the odd moral lecture aimed at the punters whose money they are stealing! Swinneys government are still stumping up for these arrogant punter-hating no marks. It is my guess that he would have retired to a nice directorship or two otherwise -nae hassle. Sturgeon, the sleekit, maybe has him by the baws.
LikeLike
The SNP is compromised beyond recovery saddled with an MI6 wanabee leader who delivered failure in every Cabinet post he occupied over 28 years as a politician. He plans on retiring at 80 so it’s hi ho independence for some time to come
LikeLike