2023 Scottish National Party leadership election
Revision as of 20:48, 10 March 2023 by Patrick Haseldine (talk | contribs)
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| Date | 13 March 2023 - 27 March 2023 |
|---|---|
| Description | Who will succeed Nicola Sturgeon as First Minister of Scotland and leader of the Scottish National Party? |
The 2023 Scottish National Party leadership election is due to take place to choose the leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) to succeed Nicola Sturgeon. Sturgeon announced her resignation on 15 February 2023, effective upon the selection of her successor.[1]
Nominations closed on 24 February 2023 with three candidates: Kate Forbes, Ash Regan and Humza Yousaf.[2]
Voting in the 2023 SNP leadership election begins on 13 March and ends on 27 March, with the leader to be declared that day.
Contents
Endorsements
Declined to endorse
- Keith Brown, depute leader of the SNP
- John Mason, MSP for Glasgow Shettleston
- Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde
- Nicola Sturgeon, Outgoing leader of the SNP
Kate Forbes endorsements
Kate Forbes has been endorsed by ten MSPs:
- Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh
- Siobhian Brown, MSP for Ayr
- Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Cowdenbeath
- Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn
- Jim Fairlie, MSP for Perthshire South and Kinross-shire
- Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale
- Ruth Maguire, MSP for Cunninghame South
- Ivan McKee, Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism and Enterprise
- Michelle Thomson, MSP for Falkirk East
- David Torrance, MSP for Kirkcaldy
Forbes has been endorsed by two MPs:
- Douglas Chapman, MP for Dunfermline and West Fife
- Angus MacNeil, MP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar
Other individuals
- Jim McColl, businessman
- Alex Neil, former SNP MSP for Airdrie and Shotts
- Alex Salmond, leader of the Alba Party, former First Minister of Scotland and former leader of the SNP (also endorsed Ash Regan)
Ash Regan endorsements
Ash Regan has been endorsed by one MP:
- Joanna Cherry, MP for Edinburgh South West
Other individuals
- Craig Murray, former British Ambassador to Uzbekistan, former independent political candidate, and journalist
- Alex Salmond, leader of the Alba Party, former First Minister of Scotland and former leader of the SNP (also endorsed Forbes)
Humza Yousaf endorsements
Humza Yousaf has been endorsed by thirty MSPs:
- Karen Adam, MSP for Banffshire & Buchan Coast
- Clare Adamson, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw
- Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar
- Graeme Dey, MSP for Angus South
- Natalie Don, MSP for Renfrewshire North and West
- James Dornan, MSP for Glasgow Cathcart
- Jackie Dunbar, MSP for Aberdeen Donside
- Joe FitzPatrick, MSP for Dundee City West
- Jenny Gilruth, Minister for Transport
- Neil Gray, Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development[125]
- Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland
- Jamie Hepburn, Minister for Higher Education and Further Education, Youth Employment and Training
- Michael Matheson, Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport
- Màiri McAllan, Minister for Environment, Biodiversity and Land Reform
- Ben Macpherson, Minister for Social Security and Local Government
- Christina McKelvie, Minister for Equalities and Older People
- Paul McLennan, MSP for East Lothian
- Marie McNair, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie
- Audrey Nicoll, MSP for Aberdeen South and North Kincardine
- Jenni Minto, MSP for Argyll and Bute
- Angus Robertson, Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture
- Shona Robison, Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government
- Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands
- Shirley-Anne Somerville, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills
- Collette Stevenson, MSP for East Kilbride
- Kaukab Stewart, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin
- Kevin Stewart, Minister for Mental Wellbeing and Social Care
- Evelyn Tweed, MSP for Stirling
- Maree Todd, Minister for Public Health, Women's Health and Sport
- Elena Whitham, Minister for Community Safety
Yousaf has been endorsed by seventeen MPs:
- Hannah Bardell, MP for Livingston
- Mhairi Black, MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire South
- Ian Blackford, MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber and former SNP Westminster leader
- Kirsty Blackman, MP for Aberdeen North
- Deidre Brock, MP for Edinburgh North and Leith
- Amy Callaghan, MP for East Dunbartonshire
- Angela Crawley, MP for Lanark and Hamilton East
- Stewart Hosie, MP for Dundee East
- Chris Law, MP for Dundee West
- Stuart McDonald, MP for Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East
- Anne McLaughlin, MP for Glasgow North East
- Anum Qaisar, MP for Airdrie and Shotts
- Tommy Sheppard, MP for Edinburgh East
- Chris Stephens, MP for Glasgow South West
- Alison Thewliss, MP for Glasgow Central
- Owen Thompson, MP for Midlothian
- Pete Wishart, MP for Perth and North Perthshire
Other individuals
- Susan Aitken, leader of Glasgow City Council
- John Alexander, leader of Dundee City Council
- Alan Cumming, actor
Unfair contest
On 6 March 2023, Joanna Cherry MP criticised the contest as unfair and claimed the “party machine” was backing Humza Yousaf:
Joanna Cherry has hit out at the unfairness of the SNP’s leadership contest, saying the candidates had been “bounced” into the race to replace Nicola Sturgeon and were forced to come up with their policy packages 'on the hoof'.
A recent poll of 515 SNP members put Humza Yousaf ahead of rivals, with 31 per cent saying they would back him compared to 25% supporting Kate Forbes. Just 11% said they would give their first preference to Ash Regan, who is supported by Joanna Cherry.
Support for Ash Regan
Speaking to the BBC’s "Good Morning Scotland", Ms Cherry said it would be wrong to write off the ex-minister’s bid:
- “She's making progress and I've heard a number of people say they've been switched on to her campaign after listening to her properly at the hustings.”
- The MP said Ms Regan had shown “great courage and leadership” last year when she resigned as Community Safety Minister over the Gender Recognition Reform Bill.
- “Ash is on the left of the party socio-economically, which is more in line with my views. And she's got a hinterland beyond politics. And she's worked in business. She's worked in PR, and she's worked in policy with the Common Weal think tank. And I think those are all things the party could benefit from. Also, she wants to bring the Scottish Independence movement back together, and involve them in developing a strategy that will actually deliver Independence.
- Ms Cherry said all three candidates faced a “pretty major” problem: “They've been bounced overnight into a very short campaign with no resources, no preparation, no backup team, and no facility or time to develop a policy programme. Now, it's no secret that the party machine is behind Humza, and not behind Kate and Ash. We've already had a couple of cases of people wrongfully using the party's internal mailing system to support Humza.
- “So my point is this, the party hasn't had a leadership campaign, a leadership election for nearly 20 years. This election should involve a detailed discussion of policy and strategy for the years going forward. Most of the candidates have had no time to prepare their policy packages and are having to do so on the hoof."
- She said it was not fair on the candidates, the membership or the country: “This is not an ideal way to be doing things, but we are where we are.”[3]
Related Document
| Title | Type | Publication date | Author(s) | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Document:The beginning of the end | blog post | 27 March 2023 | Stuart Campbell | "I don't think there's any chance Humza Yousaf has won the SNP leadership election legitimately. But this morning I'm deeply worried that those still controlling the party have absolutely nothing left to lose by fixing it in his favour." |
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References
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