What will John Swinney do for Scotland's independence movement?

New first minister promises 'stability' for SNP, but some say outlook is 'bleak' for Scottish independence

John Swinney, the new leader of the SNP, delivers a speech in front of a background that says 'stronger for Scotland'
Swinney became leader of the SNP this week after winning a narrow majority
(Image credit: Jeff J Mitchell / Getty Images)

"I have changed." So declared John Swinney, the new SNP leader, when he was sworn in as Scotland's First Minister on Monday – after winning the backing of 64 MSPs, a narrow majority. Swinney said that he would discard the partisan politics that had dominated the SNP and Holyrood in recent years, and take a more collaborative approach. 

The new First Minister has a reputation both as a "deal-maker who can work across parties" and as "a ferocious heckler of opponents", said Kieran Andrews and John Boothman in The Times; he promised that there would be no more "shouted put-downs from the front bench or heckling from a sedentary position". Swinney's path to the leadership was cleared when his main competitor, Kate Forbes, stepped aside. 

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