First Minister will this week pledge to
‘create the conditions for every person in Scotland to thrive',
as he urges the country to pull together in a spirit of
collaboration to remove barriers to economic and social progress.
In a major speech to representatives from organisations across
the public and private sectors ahead of St Andrew's Day, Mr
Swinney will reflect on his approach to leadership and why
challenges must be ‘understood and solved from the bottom up'.
In the speech – which will be delivered one week before the
publication of the 2025-26 Scottish Budget – the First Minister
will say he is “here to do the hard work” in finding lasting
solutions to improving people's lives.
The First Minister is expected to say:
“Every single day, I meet inspirational people from all walks of
life - people who are doing their bit to make their community,
their business or their country that wee bit better today than it
was yesterday.
“When added together, those efforts form the engine of progress
that is driving our country forward. For me, unlocking that
potential is what government is about - it is about creating the
conditions for every person in Scotland to thrive.
“I do not believe in trying to solve problems from the top down.
Rather, I believe they need to be understood and solved from the
bottom up. I am not here to dictate from on high to those on the
front line. I am prepared to roll my sleeves up every single day
to properly understand barriers to their progress and to find
solutions. And in identifying those solutions, I am not looking
for quick-fixes or sticking plasters.
“I am here to do the hard work, to lay the foundations for
lasting improvements to our country, our economy, and our
society. I do not pretend that this style of government is always
headline-grabbing, but I do believe it is effective. And, in the
long run, I know the results will speak for themselves.”
