Swinney sworn in as First Minister at the Court of Session — what changes

[RouletteRebecca]

John Swinney was sworn in as First Minister at the Court of Session in Edinburgh this morning. Royal Warrant from King Charles overnight, Official Oath in front of the Lord President and senior judges, the usual choreography. Follows yesterday's Holyrood nomination vote where Parliament confirmed him after the 7 May election.

The acceptance speech yesterday — text up on gov.scot — was deliberately broad: "I will be a First Minister for all of Scotland", priorities listed as cost of living, NHS, growing the economy "to create opportunity across Scotland". Standard new-term framing, but worth reading because the cabinet announcement and Programme for Government in early June will hang off it.

The political read after the 7 May result: SNP took 58 of 129 seats, biggest party but well short of a majority. Labour and Reform UK tied on 17. A confidence-and-supply arrangement is the most likely route to getting business done, and the speech yesterday went out of its way not to commit to which way Swinney plans to lean for that.

For the gambling-policy crowd: nothing changes immediately. The UK Gambling Commission is reserved, Holyrood doesn't have first-instance powers there, the new affordability checks announcement next week is still UKGC. What the new Programme for Government might touch on is the Scottish levy on land-based bookmakers and the public-health framing the previous administration kept floating — that's the bit to watch in June.

[AngusReviewsAll]

The Court of Session ceremony is one of the few bits of Scottish constitutional theatre that still feels weighty rather than performative. Three Lords of Session in robes, the Lord President actually administering the oath, no script-reading. Worth watching for the procedural seriousness even if the politics are well-rehearsed.

The "all of Scotland" line will be tested fast — first PfG, first budget — but a confidence-and-supply arrangement with either Labour or Reform UK means real concessions in committee, not just rhetorical ones.

[ScottishSkeptic99]

The arithmetic post-7 May is the story. 58 seats means Swinney governs in minority again, same as 2024 only with a stronger Reform UK presence on the opposition benches. Labour-Reform tied second is the awkwardest possible Holyrood, because any minority FM bill needs to be acceptable to one of them and they'll be competing publicly to be the kingmaker on different issues.

Practically: expect a much narrower Programme for Government than 2024's. Anything that could be politically embarrassing in a confidence vote will get parked.

[FionaSlotsFan]

The land-based-bookmaker levy framing was the one to watch in the previous administration and I assume it stays alive in this one. The Scottish public-health framing of gambling harm has been the more interesting policy line — different from the UKGC affordability-checks angle, complementary rather than competing.

If the new Programme for Government touches advertising restrictions devolved to Scotland that would be the first really substantive divergence from the UK position.

[WeeWinsMorag]

Watched the ceremony on BBC Scotland live. Quiet, dignified, the courthouse interior looked beautiful. Swinney looked tired which is fair — election campaigns will do that.

For the rest of us in the day-to-day: nothing changes until the budget. Then we find out what "First Minister for all of Scotland" means in practice for council tax, NHS waiting lists, and the rural transport budget the Highlands has been waiting on for two years.

[glasgowgamblergus]

The land-based levy talk is just smoke and mirrors until we see actual numbers. Previous administration talked a big game about protecting Scottish punters but the reality was different — betting shops stayed open longer than pubs, FOBT limits stayed at £2 while England debated cuts, and the harm-reduction messaging never translated to meaningful policy changes that hurt operator margins.

Swinney's team will face the same lobbying pressure. The public health angle sounds progressive but watch how quickly it gets watered down when the tax revenue projections come in short. We've seen this cycle before with minimum alcohol pricing — lots of fanfare, then quiet amendments that favour the industry.

[inverness ivan]

The £2 FOBT limit you mentioned stayed put because Westminster controls that, not Holyrood — though Swinney's team could push harder on the messaging. What I'm watching is whether they actually follow through on the land-based levy beyond just consultation documents.

Been through three First Minister transitions now and the pattern's always the same: big talk about protecting Scottish punters during campaigns, then reality hits when they see the tax revenue numbers. The betting shops bring in serious council rates and the online operators funnel millions through Scottish subsidiaries.

Real test comes in September's budget — if Swinney allocates actual funding for gambling harm services beyond the current £2.1m annual pot, then we'll know this isn't just political theatre.

[dundeedealer]

The three First Ministers point is spot-on — worked at Genting Dundee through the Sturgeon transition and now this one. What actually happens is the civil servants keep the same briefing documents regardless of who's in charge. Swinney's team will get the exact same FOBT consultation papers that Yousaf's team had on their desks six months ago.

The land-based levy is different though. That's new Treasury territory since the 2023 budget changes, and Holyrood can set their own rates on Scottish premises. But here's what nobody mentions — operators like Ladbrokes and Coral are already closing 40+ shops across Scotland this year. Push the levy too hard and you'll accelerate that. Empty betting shops don't generate any revenue for harm reduction programmes.