Scotland's former Deputy First Minister, John Swinney, has been confirmed as the new leader of the SNP today after no other possible candidates came forward to challenge him for the position.
After nominations for the post closed, Swinney was confirmed as the only person to put themselves forward to succeed Humza Yousaf following his resignation last week.
Swinney will face a vote at Holyrood as early as Wednesday, where he will likely officially become the Scottish Parliament’s seventh First Minister the following day.
Reacting to the news, the former Deputy FM said he was "deeply honoured to have been elected as Leader of the SNP", and pledged to "give all that I have to serve my party and my country".
While his soon-to-be-predecessor Yousaf congratulated Swinney, calling on his party to heed his call for unity.
Yousaf said: "Congratulations to John Swinney on becoming leader of the SNP and FM-elect. John’s central message has been one of unity.
John Swinney is expected to be Scotland’s next First Minister
Getty
"As a party, we must heed his call, whatever has happened in the past should remain there. Let's get behind John and his team so they can deliver for Scotland."
Yesterday, veteran SNP activist Graeme McCormick had said he had secured the 100 nominations necessary to run against Swinney, but later announced that he would not be standing.
Yousaf announced he was stepping down as both Scottish First Minister and SNP leader on April 29 after his decision to tear up his party’s power-sharing deal with the Scottish Greens left him facing a vote of confidence.
The outgoing First Minister said last week he made the decision in order to "repair our relationship across the political divide" in Scotland.
During a press conference at Bute House in Edinburgh, he told reporters: "After spending the weekend reflecting on what is best for my party, for the government and for the country I lead, I have concluded that repairing our relationship across the political divide can only be done with someone else at the helm.
Outgoing First Minister Humza Yousaf, pictured after his resignation speech last Monday
PA
"I have therefore informed the SNP's national secretary of my intention to stand down as party leader and ask that she commences a leadership contest for my replacement as soon as possible."
At the time, the Scottish Greens said his resignation as First Minister was the "right" decision - and while the party's co-leader Patrick Harvie said the development was "regrettable", he welcomed the "personal responsibility" Yousaf took in stepping down.
He said: "Humza Yousaf is right to resign... His position was no longer tenable after he broke the bonds of trust with the Scottish Greens and with everyone who wanted a stable, progressive, pro-independence government. It is regrettable that it has ended this way, it didn’t need to.
"It is to his credit that he has taken personal responsibility. Now though is the time to return to some stability."
In Swinney's leadership campaign, he had said: "I want to build on the work of the SNP Government to create a modern, diverse, dynamic Scotland that will ensure opportunity for all of her citizens.
Swinney had promised a "modern, diverse, dynamic Scotland" in his leadership bid
PA
"Only the SNP stand where the majority of people want their government to be: in the moderate centre-left of Scottish politics.
"That is where I stand and if elected by my party and by parliament, my goals as First Minister will come straight from that centre-left tradition - the pursuit of economic growth and social justice."
But insiders have flagged concerns over a Swinney-led SNP; allies of former First Minister Alex Salmond were critical about Swinney’s leadership ambitions, with one warning the Perthshire North MSP would leave the party in "deep trouble".
The senior Alba Party source told GB News: "As Sturgeon’s Deputy First Minister, John Swinney is every bit as responsible as Sturgeon is for the mess the SNP find themselves in.
"If he’s their saviour, then the party are in deep trouble. The SNP are desperately in need of new blood - not old lags."
