‘Extremely frustrated’ election in Swinney will delay agenda for government

Scotland’s First Minister said he was “extremely frustrated” by the forced delay of his Program for Government and other key announcements.

The Scottish Government announced on Tuesday that due to the run-up to the general election, John Swinney’s legislative program – which he had planned to postpone until June – as well as his tax and medium-term financial strategy would have to be postponed.

The country’s most senior civil servant, John-Paul Marks, said there were “clear reasons to postpone the publication of strategic policies due to be published in the pre-election period, given that this could have an impact on the general election.”

Speaking to the AP news agency after the Levenmouth rail service opened on Wednesday, Swinney expressed his exasperation at the delay, which may mean he will have to wait until Holyrood returns from its summer break in September before laying out his plans for the country.

“I bet you I’m frustrated with this,” he said on a train between Edinburgh and Leven in Fife.

“I must take the advice I receive from the Civil Service on this particular matter. It is part of the election advice received from the UK Government.

“However, I am extremely frustrated by this as I want to continue to deliver goods to the people of Scotland, as I am doing today by delivering this railway line to Levenmouth.”

The First Minister would be reluctant to try to recall Holyrood during the break to outline his plans after the July 4 election.

The final decision on the appeal will be made by Supervisor Alison Johnstone.

Mr Swinney’s deputy, Kate Forbes, also expressed frustration with the delay, telling Holyrood’s Economy and Fair Work Committee that it would “begin” in early July, once Election Day has passed.

She told MPs that the Program for Government would include “real substantive policy and policy implementation that business and the economy are looking for”.

The Deputy First Minister, although limited in what she could say, stated that “I don’t want officials’ time, or mine, to be consumed writing things, but I want it to be consumed providing information.”

Her comments echo the statement of the First Minister, who in his first speech in the highest office stated that he “will demand more specific actions and fewer strategic documents from the government.”