Scottish First Minister John Swinney has pledged to serve a full five-year term in office should the Scottish National Party he leads win next year’s election.

His declaration appears aimed at ending speculation about the role of the SNP’s Westminster leader Stephen Flynn, who is seeking a return to the Scottish Parliament at the forthcoming poll.

Mr Swinney said he would “absolutely” go the full five years in the event of the SNP securing a fifth term in office, the party having led the Scottish government since 2007.