Daily Record Political Editor Paul Hutcheon said the First Minister's intervention over Matheson was a major blunder that could damage the SNP at the election.
John Swinney has derailed the SNP’s general election campaign with his inexplicable behaviour over tarnished Michael Matheson.
Swinney leads a minority government but calculates that the 63 votes he can rely on will usually prevail over an opposition consisting of left and right wingers. But sticking up for Matheson triggered a backlash among his own colleagues and handed a gift to Labour and the Conservatives. General election campaigns are short and every day is a battle to muscle into the debate and shape the narrative.
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