John Swinney

Scotch whisky and Kentucky bourbon share a deep, long-standing connection – they’re two of the world’s great spirits and of high value to their respective economies.

There is, of course, a democratic right to protest in our society, but at this particular moment, it is ill-advised because of the circumstances that were perpetrated last night by violent thugs, and that type of behaviour has no place in…

Scotland has become like this because people over on that side of this chamber — Malcolm Offord, Thomas Kerr, various others — are inciting racial division in our society and this Government will stand up to all of that.

During the election campaign I made it abundantly clear I would not cooperate with Reform in this parliament because of the way in which they pursue this issue which incites racial hatred in our society.

Mr Offord is trying to pursue an issue on immigration at the same time as his party is associated with the stirring up of hatred within our society.

Online disinformation and misinformation are a real and present threat to our democracy, and these reports of bad actors attempting to interfere in the Scottish Parliament elections are deeply concerning.

I thought Offord was pretty pathetic.

I have seen the comments to which Gillian Mackay refers, and I'm horrified by their contents.

I fear that the issues around less savoury characters are not too far from home.

It is absolutely abhorrent and there needs to be the toughest regulatory regime in place.

I'm very happy to cooperate with the Scottish Green Party and other colleagues in Parliament who wish to tackle some of the online harm that is being propagated to individuals in our society.

They should establish the strongest possible distance from that rhetoric and from the behaviour of these individuals.

I deplore the way in which Reform is stirring up this division within our society.

Steve Clarke taking the team to the World Cup was a colossal achievement.

I am optimistic about the team's prospect following their 4-0 win in a friendly over Bolivia last weekend.

I know from my trip to Munich in 2024 for the Euros that the Tartan Army turned so many heads within Germany and I know they will do exactly the same in such a positive way in the United States.

But I'll use all the time that I've got there to try to advance the economic interests of Scotland.

I think people would expect the First Minister to go and represent the country for the first time in 28 years that we're in the World Cup.

That begins with the UK Government, which has responsibility for national security, making dealing with hostile state online interference a far higher priority.

Urgent steps need to be taken to counter the threat of foreign online political interference and ensure that our democratic processes are not undermined in this way.

It is clear that orchestrated disinformation campaigns and foreign election interference are issues which need to be taken seriously.

Swinney said online disinformation posed “a real and present threat” to democracy, and urged the UK government to make hostile state interference a much higher priority in line with recommendations from Philip Rycroft’s recent review.

I utterly condemn this behaviour and stand firmly against acts that stoke any form of violence and intolerance.

The events which have followed the horrific and senseless knife attack in Belfast will be extremely concerning for communities who are already experiencing fear, anxiety and uncertainty.

Be careful what you wish for.