Like all journalists, I am the eager recipient of umpteen news releases from sundry organisations, each competing for my attention.

Some enthral. Some stretch the definition of news. I was particularly struck by one bulletin this week. It purported to offer a “one-month lookahead” to events in the Scottish Parliament. How bold, I thought. Such courage. In the past week, events at Holyrood have been so fluid that, at various points, one would have hesitated to set out a prospectus for the next hour.

Midweek, I chanced to be in Holyrood’s Garden Lobby as the turmoil swirled. From Opposition parties, a sense of grim determination. From the SNP, the slipping smile of disquiet and fear.

At which point enter John Swinney, declining, as he put it, to walk on by. He cut a deal with Kate Forbes, he declared his intention to refocus party and government closer to the centre of politics. This scenario, this succession, is pretty much the last thing Mr Swinney envisaged.

The last time around: Scottish National Party leader John Swinney thanks supporters after being elected by a margin of two to one over rival candidate Alex Neil at the SNP conference at the Eden Court Theatre in Inverness (Image: free)

In a curious way, it reminds me of the late Alistair Darling, the Labour Chancellor who confronted the banking crash and was then prevailed upon to lead the campaign against independence in 2014. Mr Darling was somewhat less than eager. He had to be cajoled. But, having agreed, he thrust himself into the contest with vigour and vim. (Nationalists will recall the outcome.)

John Swinney had comparable doubts. What about his family? Was it not time........

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