SNP leadership: John Swinney becomes SNP's new leader after activist Graeme McCormick agrees not to stand

Mr Swinney reacted on social media after the party confirmed he was the only candidate to succeed Humza Yousaf, who announced one week ago he was stepping down as SNP leader and Scottish First Minister.

Mr Swinney is now expected to go on to become Scotland’s seventh first minister, though before he does he will need to win the backing of MSPs in a vote at Holyrood. That ballot could take place as early as Wednesday, with Mr Swinney likely to be officially in place in the top job in Scottish politics the following day.

Commenting after it was confirmed he was the only candidate, Mr Swinney posted on X that he was “deeply honoured to have been elected as Leader of @theSNP”. He pledged: “I will give all that I have to serve my party and my country.”

Mr Yousaf’s tenure as first minister came to an end after he tore up the power-sharing agreement the party had enjoyed with the Scottish Greens at Holyrood, which left him facing a vote of no confidence in his leadership. That means Mr Swinney will have to lead a minority government at Holyrood, requiring support from other parties before vital legislation can proceed.

Mr Yousaf congratulated Mr Swinney as his successor as SNP leader and called on the party to heed his call for unity. He posted on X: “Congratulations to @JohnSwinney on becoming leader of @theSNP and FM-elect.

“John’s central message has been one of unity. As a party, we must heed his call, whatever has happened in the past should remain there. Let’s get behind John & his team so they can deliver for Scotland.”

It is the second time that Mr Swinney has taken on the leadership of his party, having previously held the job from 2000 to 2004. But then he was leader of the main opposition party at Holyrood, with a Labour-Liberal Democrat coalition in charge.

Mr Swinney was confirmed as SNP leader after would-be rival Graeme McCormick agreed not to stand.

Over the weekend, Mr McCormick, a veteran SNP activist, had threatened to derail Mr Swinney’s bid to take over the party, after collecting signatures of support at an independence march in Glasgow.

However, following a “lengthy and fruitful conversation” between the pair, Mr McCormick agreed not to put his hat in the ring.

Nominations to stand to be the next SNP leader closed at midday. Mr McCormick said he had secured the required backing of 100 signatures from 20 different branches to stand.

In a statement issued on Sunday night, Mr McCormick said he would be supporting Mr Swinney’s bid.

The statement said: “I’d like to put on record my thanks to John Swinney with whom I had a lengthy and fruitful conversation.

“John and I agreed the challenges which the SNP, our government and our people face, and explored new thinking on a range of issues which I am confident, as they are advanced, will inspire activists both within the SNP and wider independence movement in the following weeks and months.

“This is a fresh start for our members and our politicians, and I’m sure that John’s determination to deliver independence will be rewarded at the forthcoming general election.

“I have therefore concluded that I shall not proceed with my nomination for party leader but instead support John Swinney’s nomination for party leader and First Minister of Scotland.”

This means the party has avoided a costly leadership contest. Last year’s contest, won by Mr Yousaf, cost £180,000 - an expense the party would not have wanted in a general election year.

Over the weekend, Mr Swinney told Sky TV: “Bluntly, I would just like to get on with that as quickly as I possibly can do. Every day we spend on an internal contest, which I think we all probably know the outcome of, we delay the ability of the SNP to start rebuilding.”

He also told the BBC: “Obviously the party has got internal democracy it has got to go through, and nominations close at noon - we will find out then if there are any more candidates than me contesting the election to be the next SNP leader.

Scottish politics is never dull - The Steamie newsletter will give you the best analysis

“But of course it is the democratic right of members of the party to come forward, there are thresholds of support they have to pass, and if it is the case we will have a contest - and I think the overwhelming majority of party members want us to get on with it.”

This morning the party’s deputy party leader Keith Brown told BBC Good Morning Scotland: “That’s the nature of internal party democracy, it is an open competition.

“But it is the case that John Swinney is the sole nominee, and having that conversation [with Graeme McCormick] going well shows he can engage with all parts of the party and parliament, which is really important for a minority government.”