SNP minister Mairi McAllan claims Scots don't like party members 'sniping' at John Swinney
Some Nationalists have questioned their leader's future after the party suffered a shattering loss at the recent Hamilton by-election.
A senior SNP figure has claimed Scots don't like party members "sniping" at John Swinney.
Some Nationalists have questioned their leader's future after the party suffered a shattering loss to Labour at the recent Hamilton and Larkhall by-election.
Nat veterans Alex Neil and Jim Sillars both said it was time for a change of direction after Katy Loudon failed to win in the South Lanarkshire constituency.
Other members have also been briefing anonymously against Swinney in the days after the Hamilton disaster, which handed a major boost to Scottish Labour.
But Mairi McAllan warned against infighting and insisted she was 100 per cent behind Swinney.
The new Housing Secrertary, whoi returned from maternity leave last week, said: "Frankly, he's a man of empathy and kindness and experience, and I think that is truly what the people of Scotland are,' she said.
"They don't particularly take kindly, I don't think, to small groups of folks trying to cause instability in a Government when people just want their Government to get on with the job of governing and trying to make life easier for people.
'Sniping and trying to cause instability, I think, is really unwelcome.'
McAllan was a key part of the by-election campaign and was at the count last week where Labour's Davy Russell was declared the winner.
The SNP, she said, needs to 'reflect' before next year's election, but added: 'In terms of the First Minister's leadership, I have not been hearing gripes.
'And if I did, I would be very strongly rebutting them, because I think a year ago our party wasn't in a good place and John Swinney has stabilised our party. He has brought focus to the Government."
The Housing Secretary said she will also 'advocate for the greatest possible funding' for her new portfolio, but could not commit to passing on all UK Government funding to the sector.
She took up the role on Wednesday – the same day she returned from maternity leave – as the First Minister upgraded housing to a standalone capital position.
The decision comes more than a year after the Scottish Parliament declared a housing emergency as a result of record homelessness figures, which worsened earlier this year.
It also comes as the Scottish Government could see a windfall from the UK Government after it announced a 10-year, £39 billion housing programme.
Shelter Scotland, one of the country's leading housing charities, urged McAllan to commit to passing on all extra funding sent to Scotland to the affordable housing budget.
But the minister refused to make such a commitment. "I need to have those discussions with my colleagues, not least my colleague Shona Robison,' she said.
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