London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Jul 02, 2025

Who will replace Nicola Sturgeon as next SNP leader?

Who will replace Nicola Sturgeon as next SNP leader?

Nicola Sturgeon has announced her resignation as SNP leader and first minister of Scotland. Who are the key contenders to replace her at the top of Scottish politics?

In her resignation speech, Ms Sturgeon refused to back anyone as a successor, insisting there was a wealth of talent within the SNP.


John Swinney

The deputy first minister is the most experienced option open to the SNP, given he has actually led the party before.

Mr Swinney became SNP leader in 2000 following the resignation of Alex Salmond but left the post in 2004 after a series of disappointing election results.

A former MP who has served at Holyrood since the dawn of the Scottish Parliament in 1999, Mr Swinney knows every inch of Holyrood and the government.

The 58-year-old would be the obvious choice to step in for Ms Sturgeon in the shorter term, given his role as her deputy, and he is widely seen as a safe pair of hands.

However there are major questions about whether he would actually want to take up the leadership again.


Kate Forbes

The finance secretary has had a meteoric rise through the ranks of government. She was dropped into the job following the surprise resignation of Derek Mackay and was left to deliver the 2020 Scottish Budget with just hours notice.

Her performance since then has belied her relatively young age (32) and short parliamentary career.

She was first elected to the seat of Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch in 2016.

Few would be surprised if she took the next step up, to the highest office in Scotland, and she is rightly seen as one of the favourites.

It is not known whether she intends to stand, given that she is currently on maternity leave following the birth of her first child.


Angus Robertson

Angus Robertson has held leadership roles in the SNP before, having headed its Westminster group in a previous life as an MP.

That was a particularly prominent role following the 2015 election, when the SNP group swelled to 56 MPs and Mr Robertson frequently clashed with Prime Minister Theresa May.

However he lost his Moray seat in 2017, and was out of frontline politics for a spell before winning the Holyrood seat of Edinburgh Central in 2021.

He immediately took up a post in Ms Sturgeon's cabinet as constitution secretary - an important post given the more or less full-time conflict between the Scottish and UK governments.

Many believe the 53-year-old may see himself as a future first minister. The question may be whether that view is widespread among his colleagues.


Humza Yousaf

The health secretary is part of a newer generation of SNP figures, having become a Glasgow MSP in 2011.

He has held a number of senior posts in government, including as transport minister, Europe minister and justice secretary.

The 37-year-old is also widely seen as ambitious, and may fancy a shot at the top job.

That said, health secretary is a tough job at the best of times, and Mr Yousaf has been running the show at a historically difficult moment for the NHS.


Joanna Cherry

The lawyer has been a prominent MP in the SNP's Westminster group since she was first elected to Edinburgh South West in 2015.

She has been a critic of Ms Sturgeon's leadership on the issue of gender reform, and has built a following within sections of the party of a similar persuasion.

She opted to remain within the SNP while others left for Alex Salmond's new Alba Party.

Depending on the strength of feeling about the issue of gender reform within the party at the moment of the contest, Ms Cherry might see herself as a realistic contender.

However there would be questions about how the 56-year-old could control the party without being at Holyrood, with years to go until the next Scottish election.

She would need a strong deputy leader to take on the role of first minister in the meantime, because that post needs to be held by an MSP.

The SNP has had a leader sitting only at Westminster before - Nicola Sturgeon herself stood in as the Holyrood leader for Alex Salmond - but only when in opposition.


Mairi McAllan

The Clydesdale MSP is a fresh face at Holyrood, with the 30-year-old first being elected in 2021.

However she immediately stepped into government as environment minister, and has already been responsible for guiding foxhunting legislation through parliament.

A former solicitor, she served as a special advisor to Nicola Sturgeon before winning a seat of her own.

That means she has a solid grounding in how the Scottish government works - the question may be whether it is too early in her career to move into the very top job.


Neil Gray

Another recent arrival at Holyrood, Neil Gray was the MP for Airdrie but gave up the seat to win one at Holyrood in 2021.

The 36-year-old swiftly made his way into government as international development minister, and has taken the lead on Scotland's response to the refugee crisis resulting from the war in Ukraine.

He was seen as being close to Ms Sturgeon's leadership team, and could prove to be a continuity candidate.


Keith Brown

The justice secretary might be an outsider bet, but he has support within the SNP - evidenced by the fact he was elected the party's deputy leader.

The 61-year-old MSP for Clackmannanshire and Dunblane has been at Holyrood as long as the SNP has been in government, and has held a range of briefs from transport to the economy.

He declined to discuss any potential candidates in the wake of the resignation, saying that "today is about Nicola Sturgeon".

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
Trump Administration Considers Withdrawal of Funding for Hospitals Providing Gender Treatment to Minors
Texas Enacts Law Allowing Gold and Silver Transactions
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
OpenAI Secures Multimillion-Dollar AI Contracts with Pentagon, India, and Grab
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Elon Musk Critiques Senate Budget Proposal Over Job Losses and Strategic Risks
Los Angeles Riots ended with Federal Investigations into Funding
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Education Secretary Announces Overhaul of Complaints System Amid Rising Parental Grievances
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Trump Ends Trade Talks with Canada Over Digital Services Tax
UK Government Softens Welfare Reform Plans Amid Labour Party Rebellion
Labour Faces Rebellion Over Disability Benefit Reforms Ahead of Key Vote
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Host Lavish Wedding in Venice Amid Protests
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
North Korea to Open New Beach Resort to Boost Tourism Economy
UK Labour Party Faces Internal Tensions Over Welfare Reforms
Andrew Cuomo Hints at Potential November Comeback Amid Democratic Primary Results
Curtis Sliwa Champions His Vision for New York City Amid Rising Crime Concerns
Federal Reserve Proposes Changes to Capital Rule Affecting Major Banks
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Trump Escalates Criticism of Media Over Iran Strike Coverage
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
Big Four Accounting Firms Fined in Exam Cheating Scandal
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
Australia's Star Casino Secures $195 Million Rescue Package Amid Challenges
UK to Enhance Nuclear Capabilities with Acquisition of F-35A Fighter Jets
Russian Shadow Payments via Cryptocurrency Reach $9 Billion
Explosions Rock Doha as Iranian Missiles Target Qatar
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
×