I congratulate John Swinney and the SNP on their election win on 7 May. My party fought the election on the belief that Scotland needs change. It was an election and an argument that we did not win. That is disappointing, and I do not pretend otherwise, but it is important to convey what I still believe today.
Our politics, our Parliament, and our country need to change. We have a collective responsibility to represent and serve the people and, in the current climate, to bring our country together and take on the politics of fear and blame.
Although the election result is settled, the challenges that Scotland faces are not. The need to tackle deep-seated issues in Scottish society remains as urgent today, and the Parliament must rise to that challenge.
We need a Government that will focus relentlessly on the things that matter: growing our economy; supporting our high streets; driving down waiting lists; improving access to primary care; providing dignity in the delivery of social care; making life more affordable; giving every young person the chance to succeed; and supporting our communities to feel safer and stronger.
In doing that, we must also recognise the mood in the country as it is, not as we might wish it to be. During the election campaign, one word came up again and again: “scunnered”. People are frustrated, angry, and tired. They are tired of political arguments that seem disconnected from their lives. That should concern every single one of us because, if people lose faith not only in one party or one Government but in the ability of politics itself to improve their lives, that not only undermines our democracy but opens up opportunities for those who seek to divide us.
Half the MSPs in the chamber have been elected to our Parliament for the first time. This is a historic opportunity for them—for all of us—to demonstrate either the best of Scotland or the worst of our politics; to change the culture positively or negatively; to achieve greater co-operation or greater conflict; and to trade in bigger ideas or bigger insults.