People of Glasgow react to John Swinney becoming SNP leader

While Swinney was at Glasgow University giving his acceptance speech after becoming the SNP’s latest leader on Monday, The National was out in the same city to hear what the people thought about him.

Those we approached were largely unenthused about his appointment, or had more to say about his predecessor – Humza Yousaf.

There were a lot of shrugs of shoulders when people were asked what they thought about the news of the new leader.

READ MORE: John Swinney backs Humza Yousaf's Scottish independence strategy

Although some people didn't have an opinion on Swinney they did have something to say at least about the former party leader, as 71-year-old Alison Day said: “I’ve not really thought about it.

“I did like the other man who was in, Hamza Yousaf [sic], and I do like the Scottish nationalists because of course I am Scottish, and I do like them.”

Alison wasn’t the only one who seemed more keen to speak about the out-going first minister rather than the new leader of the minority government. Graham Leslie said: “I’m not really fussed, to be honest.

“I didn’t think Humza was that bad, I quite liked him actually, I thought he was alright.”

There was a fair amount of people who didn’t have any opinion on Swinney or Scottish politics as a whole, and those who didn’t mind who was in charge as long as it wasn’t the Tories.

Gary Mclean and Nadia Bennett, who are both in their 20s, summed up a lot of the reactions.

When asked what they thought about SNP as a whole as they didn’t know who Swinney was they said: “I don’t really follow politics lately, but they are better than the Tories.”

However, those who did have something to say on Scottish politics still didn’t seem too fussed about Swinney.

As Jack Wilson said: “I am an SNP man myself.

“I’ve voted for them the last few times as I like what they stand for.”

But, not even he had much to say about Swinney bar “good luck to him”.

However it was former teacher Dylan Gray who had the most to say about Swinney’s appointment as he said: “I am quite open-minded.

READ MORE: What did John Swinney say about independence at his launch as SNP leader?

“I used to be a teacher, which typically they don’t have very positive connotations towards John, but that’s maybe more of an issue with budget rather than leadership.

“I don’t have a strong enough opinion on the man to give one way or another given I don’t think it makes a massive difference.

“Any issues I had were with the broader idea of the Government as a whole rather that with the leader.”

A similar sentiment to Irene Davies who said: “I can’t see the man making much of a difference.

“The Government needs more than a new leader, there needs to be more change, something that will actually make a difference to people’s lives and not just more of the same.”