SNP to announce new leader
The Scottish National Party’s new leader and deputy leader will be announced this morning.
The candidates for the top job include former leader Alex Salmond, deputy leader Roseanna Cunningham and former MSP Mike Russell.
In the running for the deputy leadership are MSPs Nicola Sturgeon, Fergus Ewing and Christine Grahame.
The party will declare the results of the leadership election, in which around 80 per cent of its members voted, at 10:30am this morning in Edinburgh.
Mr Salmond, who stepped down as leader in 2000 and once said he would never run for re-election, is favourite to become the new leader.
Ahead of the results, the SNP welcomed the high turnout for the elections. 79.4 per cent of members voted in the election for leader, and 79.2 per cent for deputy leader.
Dr Alasdair Allan, SNP national secretary, said: “This was our first ever election using One Member One Vote and it has caused a good deal of excitement in the party.
“It shows that democracy and debate in the party is very much alive and kicking, and members are looking forward to getting out and about with the new leader and deputy and campaigning for independence.”
The results will be declared at the Dynamic Earth building, on Holyrood Road in Edinburgh.
