John Swinney speaks and says nothing – Daily Business Magazine

The First Minister missed two opportunities to inform the business community of his plans, writes TERRY MURDEN

Just like joke-tellers, politicians need to get their timing right. That is true of opportunities. Don’t miss them when they arise as they may not present themselves again. Twice this month John Swinney has found himself speaking to large audiences of business leaders and on both occasions he said nothing.

Instead he preferred to tell his guests what a great job they are doing and how he’s here to help. It points to one of two conclusions. Either there is something he is not prepared to announce. Or he has simply run out of ideas.

It is not as if he did not have plenty of source material. The first event, a gathering of almost 800 from the financial services sector, came a day after the UK Budget and a day before his meeting with Prime Minister Andy Burnham.

The second was the Scottish Chambers’ grandly-titled annual business address, attended by 500 guests from a cross-section of the economy. It was held just hours after Opposition MSPs had used First Minister’s Questions to force Mr Swinney into a significant change in his position on North Sea oil and gas, notably his concerns about the new Energy Independence Bill that will outlaw new exploration.

It also followed the mid-term elections in the US which resulted in a shift in power in the world’s biggest economy and raised questions about the progress of artificial intelligence and data centres which Mr Swinney’s government is pledged to support but is the subject of a protest march in Edinburgh next weekend.

None of these issues were mentioned by the First Minister who chose to blow smoke up the nether regions of his guests for creating a ‘world class’ economy, and once again declared his dedication to creating growth, without explaining how he intends to do it.

Thanks, Mr Swinney, sit down and have your dinner while everyone gets back to discussing the rising costs of doing business, the growing anxiety in the north east about the energy transition, and whether he will show he is really on the side of business when his Finance Secretary delivers her budget next month.

It would surely have been to the FM’s advantage to drop a few hints of policies and initatives to come. The Chancellor John Healey drip-fed the nation with announcements he would be making in his budget. Andy Burnham always seems to have something new to offer every time he pops up at a factory, a hospital ward or in a television studio.

As with any speaker at a conference, the key is to ensure there is something for those listening to take away with them. Instead of guests chatting over the roast chicken about the evening’s football results or who might win The Celebrity Traitors, have them enthused about that nugget of an idea or policy change that’s just been announced from the stage. Mr Swinney just left everyone shrugging their shoulders. More wine, anyone?

Terry Murden is the Editor of Daily Business

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