John Swinney to be sworn in as Scotland's First Minister

John Swinney will be officially sworn in as First Minister of Scotland this morning and is then expected to appoint his Cabinet.

A ceremony at Edinburgh's Court of Session will involve the Perthshire North MSP making his statutory declarations.

After this he will be granted his official title of First Minister and Keeper of the Scottish seal.

Mr Swinney promised to devote himself to the role after winning a Holyrood vote meaning he will become the country's seventh first minister since the Scottish Parliament was established 25 years ago.

It comes after an unopposed selection process a week after predecessor Humza Yousaf resigned.

Mr Swinney said it was an "extraordinary privilege" to become Scotland's new first minister as he pledged to "give everything I have" to the role.

He shook hands with opposition leaders in the chamber at the Scottish Parliament after the vote.

Mr Swinney told the other parties at Holyrood: "If we want to fund our schools and hospitals, if we want to give our businesses a competitive edge, if we want to take climate action, if we want to eradicate child poverty, if we want to change people's lives for the better, we have got to work together to do so."

But he said he would "give all of my energy and my willingness" to achieve this, committing to be "the first minister for everyone in Scotland".

He thanked his wife Elizabeth, who has multiple sclerosis, making clear his "profound eternal gratitude" to her for "the sacrifices she is prepared to make" so he could take on the job.

Later on Tuesday, the couple posed for photographs on the steps of Bute House in Edinburgh, the official residence of the first minister.

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