John Swinney named politician of year

Finance Secretary John Swinney has been named the Scottish Politician of the Year at a ceremony in Edinburgh.

Mr Swinney was presented with The Herald newspaper accolade for his role in dealing with the recession and delivering a "council tax freeze".

Mr Swinney said he and fellow nominees Justice Minister Kenny MacAskill and Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon had to take "very big decisions all of the time" as government ministers.

He told guests: "It is our privilege and our responsibility to do that.

"But we do it, and I think this is one of the things that is so important about the way we take our decisions, is that we do that in a way in which we support each other as a cabinet and as a team of ministers.

"For me that is the most precious thing about serving in the SNP government - that spirit of working together, of mutual support and working together to make sure our government delivers for the people of Scotland."

Mr Swinney was also named Donald Dewar debater of the year.

The evening also included the first award for Poilitical Contribution, which was won by SNP minister for parliamentary business Bruce Crawford, the backroom fixer who has helped a minority Government not just survive but flourish.