Henry Zeffman
Chief political correspondent

A few moments ago, John Swinney was asked by a member of the audience about his party having “destroyed itself from the top down not the bottom up”.

He responded by talking about the governing record of the SNP, which has controlled the Scottish government since 2007.

Implicitly, though, at least part of the question was about the legal turmoil which has engulfed the former first minister Nicola Sturgeon, who has been under criminal investigation, and her husband Peter Murrell, who has been charged with embezzlement. Both deny wrongdoing.

Clearly Swinney does not want to go there — it’s not the first time he’s pivoted from there to defending the SNP’s actions in government.

Swinney accepts there are challenges with NHS in Scotland.

He says Covid has had an impact and it needs more funding to address the "real challenge".

He adds the SNP has decided to raise tax for higher earners to fund public services. As a reminder, the Scottish government has some powers over income tax rates.

Bruce presses him, saying there are 7,000 people waiting for over two years in Scotland, whereas in England it's just 300.

Swinney says he suspects it's to do with the nature of some of the complex health issues people are experiencing, but says there are other indicators, saying the SNP has the best performing A&E, while also conceding there will be lessons they have to learn from other parts of the UK too.

The next question is from Tina Greenwood, who asks: "If no more funding comes through from Westminster, how will you fix the NHS in Scotland?"

For context: Healthcare is a devolved issue, and as first minister of Scotland, John Swinney is responsible for the NHS in Scotland.

A question now from a man in the audience, who identifies himself as a "long-time supporter" of the party and independence.

He asks Swinney how he can "convince me that he can lead a successful independent nation" after the SNP "destroyed itself from the top down".

Swinney says that GDP growth has been faster in Scotland than the rest of the UK, saying the same about productivity.

Henry Zeffman
Chief political correspondent

Tough questions for John Swinney so far, by far the newest party leader taking part tonight.

But he’s not at all new to politics. As he acknowledged during difficult questioning about the SNP’s recent travails, he is only here tonight because of the extraordinary collapse of Humza Yousaf’s administration less than two months ago.

But he is an experienced figure, having been an MP or member of the Scottish Parliament for 27 years and deputy first minister from 2014 to 2023.

That might be a strength - despite being new to his job he’s got bags of experience. Or a weakness - he cannot disassociate himself from the SNP’s record.

An audience member - a Scottish woman working in manufacturing in England - asks what would the SNP do specifically to support growth in manufacturing sector?

In a back-and-forth exchange with Swinney she says often the SNP say, when asked about problems, that all roads lead to Westminster.

Swinney says he would argue for the UK to rejoin the EU, which is met with applause from the audience.

Bruce says there are a lot of hoops to jump through to do that - isn't there anything shorter term?

Swinney says that his point is that people aren't talking about the "disastrous impact of Brexit on the economy".

Swinney says he honestly believes Scotland would be a stronger country and would have better prospects if it were independent.

But he says he is a democrat and he accepts they cannot be independent until the people of Scotland vote for it, adding the Westminster government is not permitting another referendum despite a majority in the Scottish Parliament for one.

Bruce notes they lost the referendum in 2014 and puts it to Swinney that you can't say if you win a majority it's a green light for a referendum, but it's not a red light if you don't.

Swinney avoids the question, but says he wants people to vote SNP to deliver on their independence policy.

Next up is a question on independence - Sam Grime asks: "Are you going to carry on with independence referenda until you get the answer you want?"

Bruce turns back to Andrew, asking: "Are you convinced?"

Andrew says he's an "Englishman living in Yorkshire", but has been "disappointed" in the SNP on behalf of his family living in Scotland.

Swinney points to his record and his focus on delivering for the public, and talks about early learning and childcare provision in Scotland.

John Swinney says they've had a very tough time as a party in the last few years.

Bruce sums those tough times up - saying he's the third SNP leader in a year and a half; a former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell has been charged with embezzlement; and Nicola Sturgeon has been under criminal investigation. Both deny wrongdoing.

"It has been a turbulent time", says Swinney.

The first question for Swinney comes from Andrew Atkinson.

"Given the recent scandals and dramas with the SNP how will you differ from your predecessors and project competence?" he asks.

And that's all from Ed Davey, next up is SNP leader John Swinney.

Ryan Dalo asks: "As a 25-year-old university graduate living at home due to the high cost of renting or buying a home, what concrete steps will your party take to address the housing crisis and make it easier for young people to afford their own homes?"

Immediately, Bruce then pushes Davey on where the money comes from for the Lib Dem plans for extra housing.

The Lib Dem leader says there is £6bn a year costed for extra housing that will come from extra borrowing that will go to pay for some 150,000 new social houses each year.

Image source, PA

Another interjection from an audience member, who asks if former Post Office CEO Paula Vennells should face criminal proceedings over her involvement in the wrongful prosecution of hundreds of sub-postmasters.

Davey says there is a public inquiry into the scandal, which he campaigned for, and that he does not want to prejudice the inquiry or other investigations.

The evidence "speaks for itself", he says, adding: "I really do hope people go to prison for this."

You can find all the latest on the Post Office scandal here.

Davey - who was Post Office minister and initially refused to meet Alan Bates in May 2010, but then met him in October 2010 - says he "made two big mistakes during that time".

He says he was the first post office minister to meet Bates, and listened to his concerns. Davey says he took all his questions and asked them to officials who gave a "categorical assurance" that the points Bates were making were not true.

Bruce pushes him - are you proud?

"I wish I'd seen through the lies," Davey says. "I felt sorry for not seeing through those lies."

Bruce challenges him again, saying it depends on ministers having curiosity - you didn't have that? "I did Fiona, because I did meet Mr Bates."

Henry Zeffman
Chief political correspondent

I mentioned a little earlier that Ed Davey spent five years as a minister in the Coalition government.

Before he became energy secretary he was a junior minister at the business department. One of his portfolios was postal affairs.

This has become a huge issue, 14 years on, as the Horizon scandal has moved to the centre of the political debate.

Some Liberal Democrats were a little uncomfortable with how Davey handled difficult questions about his previous role back in January when concern about this issue was at its peak.

This is now a big moment for him as he tries to answer the difficult questions before a general election-sized audience.

Next up, Frantz Gregory asks: "Are you proud of your conduct when you were the Post Office minister?"

For context: He was postal affairs minister between May 2010 and February 2012 during the Conservative-Lib Dem coalition government, as the Horizon scandal unfolded.

A woman from Manchester says the Lib Dems have done well in the south, but asks Davey: "What would you say to people up North? Why should I vote for you?"

The Lib Dem leader says his party is competing well in some seats in Manchester and he also mentions Sheffield. But he concedes the Lib Dems have been doing best in the South and the West Country up against the Tories.

Image source, PA Media

Pushing Davey again on the raising of tuition fees, Bruce asks Davey how "scarring" it was for his party.

"Very scarring," Davey replies, adding that when he became leader, the Lib Dems had to "wake up and smell the coffee".

He then turns to the Lib Dems' record of recent by-election wins, saying people are returning to the party.

Davey says he understands why that generation lost faith in the Lib Dems - and says it was a "difficult government to be in".

Davey says "we got punished", pointing out that he lost his seat at the 2015 election.

Bruce challenges Davey - how can the public trust him?

Davey says the thing he learnt from that process is you shouldn't promise what you can't deliver - and he says he's not doing it this time round. "It's the big lesson I learned."