Swinney has got the big calls right

FIRST Minister John Swinney inherited a party in disarray and plunging in the polls when he became SNP leader just 17 months ago.

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But when he gets to his feet to address his party conference tomorrow, he will do so as a man now expected to win next year’s Holyrood election comfortably.

Some of that incredible turnaround in fortunes is a result of Labour's unpopularity at Westminster and also the rise of Reform splintering the Unionist vote.

But Swinney has also steadied the ship by quickly putting an end to self-inflicted disasters like the gender identity debacle and unworkable environmental policies.