UK Government cuts put my ability to serve Scotland under threat – Swinney

First Minister John Swinney has warned cuts by the UK Government will leave his ability to serve Scotland “under real threat”.

Speaking ahead of his first conference as party leader in almost two decades, Mr Swinney urged Scots to rally against any potential spending cuts at a UK level, which would impact on the funding provided to Scotland.

Both the UK and Scottish governments find themselves fighting against dire financial outlooks, with Chancellor Rachel Reeves announcing a more than £20 billion black hole in public finances, while Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the Budget expected in October will be “painful”.

North of the border, Finance Secretary Shona Robison has said “tough decisions” will be needed, as experts suggested a combination of high spending and uncertainty around funding from the UK Government could see Scotland struggle to balance its budget.

Ahead of the first SNP conference of John Swinney’s tenure as leader – after he succeeded Humza Yousaf earlier this year – the First Minister said: “The Prime Minister’s speech on Tuesday has made clear that Scotland is facing years of austerity under Labour, which will have profound consequences for public services and living standards.

“Be in no doubt – our ability to serve the people of Scotland is under real threat by the sweeping spending cuts that the Labour Government are introducing – cuts that, only a few months ago, they were denying would take place.

“The SNP, and indeed Scotland as a whole, must come together to stand up against Labour’s cuts.

“My belief that Scotland will be better as an independent country has never been stronger – and I know that we will win our independence when we show the people of Scotland that the powers of independence are central to improving their living standards, their local services and their communities.

“Under my leadership, the SNP will work harder than ever for the country that we are so privileged to lead.

“What people in Scotland need right now is hope and ambition for a better future – and that is what the SNP will offer.”

The conference will kick off in Edinburgh on Friday, with Mr Swinney presiding over a behind-closed-doors post-mortem examination of the party’s election performance last month.

The SNP lost dozens of MPs, falling to just nine.

Speaking to the PA news agency on Thursday, the First Minister said he had been speaking to party members since the election, which he described as “very difficult”.

“There’s obviously a lesson that we’ve to learn from that, and that would be part of the discussion on Friday morning,” he said.

“What’s important is the SNP focuses on building for the future.

“We’ve got a great track record of serving the people of Scotland, we need to build on that to make sure we make the positive and hopeful case for independence and that will be at the heart of the party conference.”

Over the course of the weekend, speeches from depute leader Keith Brown, Westminster leader Stephen Flynn and Mr Swinney will be punctuated by “policy discussions” with Scottish Government ministers including Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes, Constitution Secretary Angus Robertson and Ms Robison.

Mr Robertson will likely face questions from members about the recent controversy surrounding his meeting with the deputy Israeli ambassador.

Scottish Labour deputy leader Dame Jackie Baillie said the conference “takes place in the long shadow of SNP failure”.

She added: “NHS waiting lists are at a record high, exam results are tumbling and public services across the board are facing brutal cuts, but the SNP has no answers.

“This is a Government that has completely lost its way and we are all paying the price for its incompetence.

“The SNP is tired, divided and mired in scandal – it cannot deliver for the people of Scotland. They are a party out of ideas and Scots are paying the price.”

Scottish Tory finance spokeswoman Liz Smith said: “John Swinney is fooling no-one with his desperate attempt to blame anyone but the SNP for the savage cuts and tax rises his government is imposing.”

She added: “With the financially illiterate SNP destroying our economy, and Labour imposing savage cuts on the most vulnerable, Scotland is truly stuck between a rock and a hard place.”