John Swinney is formally sworn in as Scottish First Minister

John Swinney made a bid to end SNP chaos today after he was officially installed as Scottish First Minister.

Mr Swinney has made Kate Forbes his deputy, drawing a line under despite tensions over her devout Christian views.

The move comes after Ms Forbes stood aside in favour of the veteran MSP despite frenzied speculation she would try to succeed Humza Yousaf.

‘I am deeply honoured to accept John’s invitation to be his Deputy First Minister,’ she said. 

Despite swipes that he is a ‘Sturgeon apologist’ and ‘continuity’ option, Mr Swinney was the only SNP leadership candidate when nominations closed on Monday. 

He was sworn in at the Court of Session after being elected to the post at Holyrood yesterday. 

Mr Swinney’s family, including his wife Elizabeth, thirteen-year-old son Matthew and brother David, accompanied him for the ceremony. 

Announcing Ms Forbes’ new role, Mr Swinney said: ‘I am very pleased to appoint Kate as Deputy First Minister and look forward to working with her in this new government.

‘She is an immensely talented politician and her new role will prove critical as we focus on our key commitments of eradicating child poverty, investing in public services and supporting economic growth.’

But Scottish Conservative chairman Craig Hoy said: ‘This is simply Humza Yousaf’s cabinet with a different figurehead.

‘The return of Kate Forbes is a desperate attempt by both John Swinney and his new deputy to gloss over the huge splits in the SNP and fixate on independence.

‘A year ago, Mr Swinney questioned whether Kate Forbes was an ‘appropriate individual’ to lead the SNP, but now he deems her fit to be his second in command. 

‘Similarly, Ms Forbes, who warned that ‘continuity won’t cut it’, has now joined a Cabinet with continuity at its core in return for a top job under Nicola Sturgeon’s right-hand man.’

Labour sources were also jubilant at the prospect of the ‘most right-wing deputy first minister ever’ – suggesting they will try to find dividing lines on social issues to twist the knife on the SNP. 

At Holyrood yesterday, Mr Swinney won the backing of 64 MSPs in a vote on the new First Minister, with his nearest rival Scottish Conservatives leader Douglas Ross picking up 31. As the Greens abstained that was enough for a simple majority.

Afterwards he said: ‘I am leading a minority government. I will need to reach out to others to make things happen to pass legislation to agree a budget.’

He said Holyrood was ‘intensely polarised’, adding: ‘I accept my part in creating that environment, whether that is by shouting put-downs from the front bench or heckling from a sedantry position.

‘I do promise Presiding Officer, that that will all stop. I have changed.’

Amid laughter in the chamber, he added: ‘Perhaps time will tell on that one.’

Humza Yousaf, whose extraordinary meltdown paved the way for Mr Swinney to take the top job, earlier penned his resignation to the King.

In a valedictory speech to MSPs he said: ‘Let me offer thanks to every single colleague across the political divide for the kindnesses that you have shown me over the years.

‘We often, and I’m guilty of this too, lament the toxic nature of our political debate and it’s true, there is entrenched tribalism that feels difficult to free ourselves from.

‘However I will remember far more fondly the kindness and generosity of colleagues over the years.’

Mr Swinney swerved a late obstacle on Monday as he persuaded activist Graeme McCormick not to go ahead with forcing a leadership contest, even though he had secured the support required to stand.

Mr Yousaf’s time as First Minister was spent dealing with a long list of crises, including developments in the police probe into the SNP’s funding and finances, a series of policy U-turns, disciplinary issues, defections and bitter infighting between factions in his party.

A Norstat poll at the weekend showed the SNP is on course to fall to just 15 seats following the general election, and to slide behind Labour at the next Holyrood election.

The SNP vote share in a Westminster election was seen as dropping to its lowest level since the 2014 independence referendum.

The party would hold just 15 of its 43 seats with Scottish Labour winning 28 – a dramatic increase from its current two.

According to the Sunday Times survey, the SNP had support from 29 per cent of the electorate – a fall of three points in a month, while Labour’s share increased by two points to 34 per cent.

Under Nicola Sturgeon, the SNP became the third largest party at Westminster, winning 56 of 59 Scottish seats in 2015.

The Scottish Conservatives, whose vote share remained at 16 per cent in the poll, would add three seats to return nine MPs – while the Liberal Democrats, on 8 per cent, would boost their yield by one to five MPs.