The SNP has been left facing a new crisis just hours after ex-Deputy First Minister John Swinney emerged as the frontrunner to succeed Humza Yousaf.
Allies of former First Minister Alex Salmond were critical about Swinney’s leadership ambitions, with one warning the Perthshire North MSP would leave the SNP in “deep trouble”.
A senior Alba Party source suggested Swinney is unable to disconnect himself from Nicola Sturgeon’s tarnished legacy.
The Salmond ally 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.
John Swinney is the frontrunner to become First Minister
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“If he’s their saviour, then the party are in deep trouble. The SNP are desperately in need of new blood not old lags.”
Support from the wider pro-independence movement remains vital for any SNP leader to form an administration in Holyrood, with the Scottish Green Party propping up Yousaf before he opted to tear up the Bute House Agreement.
Yousaf, who succeeded Sturgeon last March, was initially supportive of the alliance.
However, ex-Finance Secretary Kate Forbes and now-Alba MSP Ash Regan were more critical of SNP cooperation with the Scottish Green Party.
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Regan, who locked horns with several former colleagues after defecting to Salmond’s offshoot faction, is putting pressure on the SNP to pivot towards a more hardline stance on Scottish independence and step back from its pro-trans agenda.
She positioned herself as integral for Yousaf ahead of his resignation announcement as her vote could have proved decisive in the scheduled no confidence motion.
Following Yousaf’s resignation, Swinney and Forbes emerged as the main frontrunners gunning for the top job.
Swinney launched his leadership campaign in Edinburgh earlier today as he vowed to “unite the SNP and unite Scotland for independence”.
He 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 added: “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 buy parliament, my goals as First Minister will come straight from that centre-left tradition.
“The pursuit of economic growth and social justice.”
Kate Forbes announced she will not run
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Forbes, who finished runner-up in the race to succeed Sturgeon at Bute House, made an announcement shortly after ruling herself out of the contest.
She said: “I have concluded that the best way to deliver the urgent change Scotland needs is to join with John Swinney and advocate for that reform agenda within the Scottish Government.
“I can therefore today announce that I will not be seeking nomination as the next SNP leader.
“John will therefore have my support and endorsement in any campaign to follow.”
Swinney decided to extend an olive branch to Forbes just hours before her statement was released, suggesting the 34-year-old would play a leading role in the SNP under his leadership.
Unionists in Scotland also weighed in on Swinney’s leadership bid as the 60-year-old emerged as the clear frontrunner to replace Yousaf.
Ross Thomson, who sat as the Tory MP for Aberdeen South from 2017 to 2019, told GB News: “I think it’s impossible to unite the SNP in the same way.
“It’s impossible to unite a fractious independence movement, especially with Alba biting at the SNP’s heels.
He added: “Swinney is part of the SNP establishment, the old guard.”
Thomson concluded: “He may be a better party manager than Humza the useless but he won’t inspire his own membership let alone the country. Voters aren’t moved my mediocrity.
“If the SNP adopt Swinney it’s because they recognise they don’t have anyone else to lead them.
“Sturgeon suppressed talent, she didn’t want competent people to outshine her.
“The fact the SNP have to go back to the past demonstrates just how bleak their future looks.”
