Swinney Dismisses 'Laughable' Dictator Jibe from Bus Operator

Scotland's First Minister John Swinney has criticized "hysterical" and "laughable" language used by a bus operator who accused him of acting like dictators Idi Amin and Robert Mugabe.

The comments from Sandy Easdale, owner of McGill's bus company, came in response to Swinney's announcement at the Scottish National Party (SNP) conference that bus services would be brought under public control through franchising and regulation by 2031.

Easdale compared Swinney to the authoritarian leaders, stating that both Amin and Mugabe "bankrupted their countries through catastrophic financial policies." He further described the proposal as "business confiscation" and vowed to fight the plan in court, estimating its cost at nearly £400 million annually in the Strathclyde area alone.

Responding to Easdale's remarks, Swinney stated, "I think we’ve all got to be pretty careful about the language that we use. And some of the language that has been used is just frankly laughable. I’m all for a substantial discussion about these questions but let’s focus on the realities, not hysterical language."

Ralph Roberts, chairman of McGill's group, also expressed concern over a "complete lack of dialogue" and warned that the company would "absolutely go to every court in the land and beyond" to oppose the plan.

The Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) in Scotland echoed some of these concerns, with director Paul White telling the BBC that more detail is needed regarding "public control" and its potential impact on existing legislation and bus partnerships. He highlighted that approximately 150 bus operators in Scotland, including smaller firms, need clarity on their future operations beyond 2031.

Electric bus company co-founder Pierce Glennie described McGill's reaction as "absurd" but also acknowledged the lack of detail in Swinney's announcement.

Deputy First Minister dismissed McGill's concerns, noting that the Easdale brothers are Labour donors and asserting that ministers are "trying to protect our people."

In addition to the public control announcement, Swinney also confirmed the extension of the £2 bus fare cap to Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire from April.