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Swinney declares ‘primary loyalty’ to the people as MSPs sworn in at Holyrood
Swinney said his primary loyalty is to the people of Scotland as all 129 MSPs took the oath before a vote on the next presiding officer.
On May 15, Scottish National Party leader John Swinney became the first of 129 MSPs to take the oath of office at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, pledging their "true allegiance" to King Charles and his successors.
Despite the SNP's total MSPs falling from 64 to 58, Swinney remains the expected choice for Scotland's First Minister in next week's Holyrood vote, where the winning candidate will oversee parliamentary debates and weekly First Minister's Questions.
Numerous members utilized diverse languages for their oaths, including British Sign Language, Doric, Polish, and Gaelic, with New Green MSP Holly Bruce taking her oath in Doric, a traditional Scots dialect spoken in the north east.
Green co-leaders Gillian Mackay and Ross Greer declared their "ultimate loyalty" is "not to King or Crown, but to the people of Scotland," reflecting broader loyalty pledges some members prioritized to the Scottish people over the monarchy.
MSPs will next vote for a new presiding officer from four candidates, including LibDem Liam McArthur, while campaigners at Stand Up To Racism Scotland staged a demonstration outside Holyrood, branding Reform as "racist through and through.