John Swinney has denied claims he is “running scared” of a TV debate after it was confirmed he would miss Question Time on Thursday.
The First Minister said he would be replaced on the election special programme by Housing Secretary Mairi McAllan.
The SNP leader, who was present at the last two TV debates, said the move would help boost the representation of women during the campaign.
Past debates have been dominated by men, and Scottish Greens co-leader Gillian Mackay is the only female leader of a major party in Scotland.
Speaking to the Press Association at the STUC conference in Dundee, Mr Swinney said: “I’ve taken part in a number of debates, and I’ll be taking part in further debates.
“But I think on this occasion, it would be good for the SNP to be represented by a female representative for the party leader and Mairi McAllan will be doing that for me.”
Scottish Labour and the Tories accused the First Minister of trying to avoid defending his record in Government.
Labour deputy leader Dame Jackie Baillie said: “John Swinney is running scared of Anas Sarwar and skipping out on a key debate.
“It’s no wonder John Swinney doesn’t want to answer questions from the public on his Government’s record when the NHS is at breaking point, schools are declining, crime is rising and the basics don’t work.
“While John Swinney goes into hiding, Anas Sarwar will be setting out Scottish Labour’s plans to fix the SNP’s mess, get the basics right and deliver a better future for Scotland.”
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Scottish Conservative deputy leader Rachael Hamilton called Mr Swinney “cowardly” and accusing him of “running scared of defending the SNP’s appalling record to a UK-wide audience”.
She said: “He’s been at the heart of this failing SNP Government for the last two decades, but in typical nationalist fashion he wants to avoid accountability for it.
“Swinney was the education secretary who marked down the exam results of Scotland’s poorest pupils. He was the finance secretary who signed off on a corrupt ferry contract.
“And he was Nicola Sturgeon’s slavishly loyal right-hand man for nearly a decade who backed every single one of her decisions, including her reckless gender self-ID Bill.
“When every other party is putting up its leader, Swinney should have the courage to front up to voters instead of hiding behind one of his ministers.”
