Why is John Swinney striving to be a Holyrood peacemaker?

In a key section of his speech accepting the position of First Minister yesterday, John Swinney put great emphasis on wanting to overcome the polarisation in Scottish politics.

He told Holyrood that "as colleagues have – fairly – recognised, the Parliament is intensely polarised at this time" and admitted his own role in how such a state of affairs had come to pass: "I accept my part in creating that environment, whether by shouting put-downs from the front bench or heckling from a sedentary position. I promise that that will all stop. I have changed."

To laughter across the chamber, he added: "Perhaps time will tell on that one."

He harked back to the good times that showed a more consensual approach did work and did deliver results that could improve the lives of the people who live in Scotland.

"This is not the collaborative place that it has been in the past – a collaborative place that has done so much good to improve the lives of people in Scotland," he told MSPs.

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"As the Parliament marks its 25-year anniversary and as one of the relatively small group of members who have been here from the start, I reflect on the major developments that have taken place through collaborative work and agreement over that time: for example, the ban on smoking in public places, which was taken forward by the Labour and Liberal Executive; minimum unit pricing, by the SNP Government; and the introduction of free bus travel for the under-22s, by the SNP-Green partnership. I commit my Government to working to create such agreement across the chamber. I hope that there is space and willingness for that to happen, in the interests of the people who sent us here."

After finishing his speech, and in a grand gesture of good will, Scotland's seventh First Minister then walked around the chamber to shake hands with the leaders of the main opposition parties.

He went first to Douglas Ross, as the leader of the Scottish Conservatives, the largest opposition party, and then in turn Labour's Anas Sarwar, the Scottish Greens' co-leaders Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater, then the Lib Dems Alex Cole-Hamilton. He later thanked Ash Regan after the Alba MSP voted for him to become First Minister.

It was quite a change from the years of barracking and heckling opposition party MSPs, as Mr Swinney indeed conceded.

So why the sudden change?

On one reading it could well be that Mr Swinney is determined to turn over a new leaf and try and build a less toxic political discourse in Scotland simply for its own sake.

While barracking and heckling may go down well with fervent supporters among all political parties, to most members of the public it's deeply unappealing macho behaviour. So Mr Swinney's new approach is a welcome attempt to create an improved political culture.

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It also makes him look like a better class of politician, someone who has set his sights on overcoming the bitter divides and strives to be First Minister for "all of Scotland".

But there is also a second need for greater collaboration – and that is one of real politik.

Having ditched the Greens the new First Minister will be governing as a minority SNP administration and will need the support of MSPs from other parties to get his budget and other legislation through parliament.

For their part the Greens have already set out their terms for continuing to support the government on key votes.

Essentially this came down to whether the new FM would move forward with a "water tight ban on conversion therapy", the introduction of rent controls, and existing commitments to decarbonise home heating systems (ie the removal of gas boilers in favour of green energy heating systems such as heat pumps).

However, while Mr Swinney has yet to set out his new policy platform in detail he's made clear he wants to focus on more bread and butter issues – growing the economy (which means creating a more business friendly environment), delivering public services and combating child poverty.

While close to the hearts of Greens members, issues like a ban on conversion therapy, rent controls and replacing gas boilers with heat pumps (housebuilders and other business groups are campaigning against the latter two), would not be regarded by most as the pressing priorities for most voters.

And while not seen as key bread and butter priorities, they are also the sort of issues that can lead to a great deal of unwelcome negative headlines.

Any such a change of direction by Mr Swinney will of course be attacked by Green MSPs who will argue that the new First Minister Swinney has given up on progressive values and given into the SNP's 'right wing'.

It's also potentially a tricky matter internally for the SNP with some in his own party at Holyrood still close to the Greens and highly supportive of some of the policies such as on gender issues set out in the Bute House Agreement.

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So without the continued support from the Greens Mr Swinney needs to reach out across the chamber and make new allies among the Tories, Labour, Lib Dems and even Alba.

How Mr Swinney strives to deliver his more consensual approach and how the opposition parties decide to respond remains to be seen.

Given the proximity of a general election – expected later this year – and a Holyrood election in two years – when politicians tend to become more partisan rather than less – it's a difficult time for the Scottish Government to be seeking new allegiances.

No wonder Mr Swinney is on a charm offensive.