McGill's accuse Swinney of behaving like a dictator over bus plans

A prominent bus company has openly criticized First Minister John Swinney’s approach to the government’s initiative to place bus services under public management. Sandy Easdale, who runs McGill’s alongside his brother James, compared Swinney’s actions to those of infamous autocrats, stating he “appears to have transformed into the next Idi Amin or Robert Mugabe.” He added that both these leaders “bankrupted their countries through catastrophic financial policies.”

In response, Deputy First Minister Jenny Gilruth emphasized that the government’s plans aim to safeguard the interests of the public, particularly in light of numerous bus route closures experienced in recent years. During the SNP conference in Aberdeen, Swinney outlined the target for bringing buses under public control by 2031 through a process involving franchising and regulation. The legislative framework for this change is expected to be introduced in Holyrood next year. The planned reforms are designed to empower regional transport partnerships with greater oversight of routes and fares, without requiring full government ownership of bus operations.

Gilruth assured that the government seeks collaboration with bus companies throughout the implementation process. Speaking on The Sunday Show, she explained, “Fundamentally, we’re trying to protect our people, and across the country just now we see a number of routes having been removed.” She described the current model of private bus services as “a legacy of Thatcher’s time when she took away that opportunity for there to be direct intervention from the state” and argued for a return to a system that better protects passengers. Highlighting Edinburgh’s example, she noted how public ownership has benefitted the public by maintaining a greater number of available routes.

The deputy first minister also pointed out that the Easdale brothers had been “significant donors to the Labour Party.” She reaffirmed that the Scottish government is already investing heavily in bus services, including schemes for free travel for under-22s and those over 60. Gilruth added, “Of course we work with bus operators like McGill’s and others to hear their views,” citing ongoing cooperation around initiatives such as the under-22s travel scheme and the £2 bus fare cap. At the SNP conference, Swinney announced an expansion of this £2 fare cap to cover Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire starting in April. The cap currently applies to Glasgow, West Scotland, and the Highlands and Islands, with plans to extend it nationwide by the end of the parliamentary term in 2031