The next leader of the SNP could be “crowned… without contest”, the Scottish Conservatives have said, after Humza Yousaf resigned from his role on Monday.
Yousaf – who has been leader and First Minister of Scotland for just over a year – announced his resignation after his decision last week to sever power-sharing ties with the Scottish Green Party saw its leadership crumble.
Now the focus is shifting to who will replace him, with former party MP John Swinney appearing to lead the pack.
Live Politics: Next Scottish FM to be ‘crowned without contest’
Swinney – who was Nicola Sturgeon’s number two between 2014 and 2023 – has not yet confirmed he is running for leadership, telling Sky News he was “very carefully considering” the decision.
But senior figures have already given him their support, with the SNP’s Westminster leader Stephen Flynn telling Sky News: “Serious times call for serious politics and serious people, and the best person to take that forward is now the Nationalist Party. Scottish is John Swinney.”
However, he may not have a direct path to victory, with sources close to Kate Forbes – who lost to Yousaf during last year’s leadership contest – saying the MSP was also “actively considering” another bid for the top job. .
Speaking to the Politics Center with Sophy Ridge, Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross said he didn’t think there would be a contest.
“My reading of the situation now is that John Swinney will be crowned leader of the SNP without challenge, and I think that as early as next week there will be a vote in the Scottish Parliament to elect him as first minister,” he said.
“You’ve seen countless senior politicians, both here at Westminster and in Edinburgh, supporting John Swinney. Of course, it’s the same John Swinney who last year ruled himself out and said it was time for new talent to come forward.”
He added: “This won’t really be a change, it will be more of the same, with a focus on independence to the detriment of the real priorities that people across Scotland have.”
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Meanwhile, former first minister and now leader of the rival Alba party Alex Salmond has expressed sympathy for Yousaf, telling Sophy Ridge it was “a huge pain” to leave the role.
But he questioned whether those around the outgoing leader were “acting in his best interests”, hinting at a plot to remove him in favor of Swinney.
Yousaf: ‘I’m sad because my time is running out’
Asked whether the contest would be a “sewing together” of the “boys club” at the top of the SNP – as the party’s MP Joanna Cherry previously suggested – current deputy leader Keith Brown said no.
He told Sophy Ridge: “The majority of the cabinet are women and of course we have had a very long period with a female leader, so anyone can stand in this race.”
However, Brown gave his support to Swinney, saying he was “someone who is experienced and will bring unity, hopefully, to parliament but also to the party”.
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