London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Jul 25, 2025

John Swinney rules himself out of SNP leadership race

John Swinney rules himself out of SNP leadership race

Deputy First Minister John Swinney has ruled himself out of the race to be the next leader of the SNP.

Mr Swinney said he had to do what was "right for my family, the Scottish National Party and our country".

It comes after the SNP's national executive said the new leader will be confirmed on Monday 27 March.

Nicola Sturgeon announced on Wednesday that she was resigning after eight years as SNP leader and first minister.

Mr Swinney, who has been a member of the Scottish Parliament since 1999, served as leader of the party between 2000 and 2004.

He had been tipped for a return to the top job and admitted he had "thought carefully about whether I should stand".

But in a post on Twitter he said he had instead decided to "create the space for a fresh perspective to emerge".

"For the best part of the last 40 years, I have had the privilege of being at the very heart of formulating the strategy of the SNP," Mr Swinney said.

"From a very poor starting point in the 1980s, I am proud to have played my part in building the SNP into a successful party of government in Scotland with an impressive electoral record.

"The refusal however of the UK government to respect the democratic wishes of the people of Scotland to have a referendum on independence, requires the SNP to consider carefully, and in my view with a fresh perspective, how to pursue our aims.

"To create the space for that fresh perspective to emerge, I have decided not to be a candidate for leadership in the SNP. At this critical moment, I believe there must be an open debate within the SNP about our direction."

John Swinney, pictured with SNP colleagues in 1999, says he has spent almost 40 years "at the heart of the SNP"

He added: "I encourage those who stand for election to bring forward perspectives that anchor the SNP in the mainstream of Scottish politics, which is an absolutely critical requirement for the future success of our cause."

Nominations for the post of SNP leader have already opened and will close at noon on Friday 24 February.

The party's national executive said the new leader would be selected on a one-member-one-vote basis.

Possible contenders include:

* Kate Forbes, finance secretary who underwent a meteoric rise in recent years. Currently on maternity leave

* Angus Robertson, who previously headed the SNP's Westminster group and was a vocal critic of Theresa May's government following the 2015 election

* Humza Yousaf, health secretary who has held several senior posts in government. Part of a new generation of SNP figures

* Keith Brown, justice secretary seen as an outsider bet.

Two other high-profile SNP figures previously tipped to replace Ms Sturgeon have also ruled themselves out.

The party's leader at Westminster, Stephen Flynn, said the top job should go to an MSP.

And confirming she would not stand, fellow MP Joanna Cherry said the SNP "needs a leadership election that is about policies and not personalities".

Nicola Sturgeon plans to remain in office until her successor is elected.

She made her resignation announcement at a hastily convened news conference at her official Edinburgh residence, Bute House, on Wednesday but insisted it was a decision she had been weighing up for some time.

"In my head and in my heart I know that time is now. That it's right for me, for my party and my country," she said.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
×