SNP leadership: Veteran activist in bid to force leadership contest against John Swinney

John Swinney had appeared set for a coronation to become SNP leader – but a potential stumbling block has emerged in the form of a party activist

John Swinney has argued a divisive SNP leadership contest could delay the party’s essential “rebuild”, as a veteran SNP activist makes a bid to challenge for the party leadership.

Graeme McCormick, who last year unsuccessfully ran for the role of SNP president, has been gathering signatures in efforts to disrupt an expected coronation for Mr Swinney.

It has been reported he is confident of raising the 100 signatures from 20 SNP branches required to trigger a leadership contest.

John Swinney reacts after delivering a speech to announce his intentions of running for the SNP leadership as well as his candidacy for the Scotland's First Minister position. Picture: Andy Buchanan/AFP via Getty Images

The window to bid for the SNP leadership closes at 11.59am on Monday.

Mr Swinney could become SNP leader and subsequently Scotland’s next first minister this week if he runs unopposed, with the former deputy first minister stating he would like to get on with that job “as quickly as possible”.

However, reports suggest a leadership battle may be on the cards after Mr McCormick used the independence march in Glasgow to drum up support for his candidacy.

Mr McCormick has previously been critical of the SNP-led Scottish Government, using last year’s party conference to criticise its independence strategy.

If he won the leadership race against Mr Swinney, he would not be able to become first minister as he is not elected in the Scottish Parliament, with Mr McCormick reportedly telling members he believed the roles should be run by two different individuals.

But, Mr Swinney, who at this point remains the only confirmed candidate, told the Sky News programme Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips he felt an internal contest would hamper the SNP’s ability to recover from its turbulent period quickly.

He said: “I think the SNP has got a chance to start rebuilding from the difficult period that we have had, under my leadership, and bluntly, I’d just like to get on with that as quickly as I possible can do, because every day that we spend in an internal contest, which I think we all probably know the outcome of, we delay the possibility for the SNP to start its rebuilding.”

Mr Swinney said his leadership bid had received “very, very comprehensive support”, including from former finance secretary Kate Forbes, who earlier ruled herself out of the contest.

Should Mr McCormick receive the required nominations, a three-week leadership contest will be triggered, with ballots opening on Monday May 13 and closing on May 27.

But if Mr Swinney runs unopposed, he will be the next SNP leader and he will likely become first minister as early as next week after a Holyrood vote.

Mr Swinney, who previously led his party from 2000 to 2004, faced a leadership challenge from an activist in 2003, but ultimately won the contest with 83.9 per cent of the vote.

Speaking later on BBC Scotland’s the Sunday Show, Mr Swinney said he would respect the “democratic process” if there was a contest. But he said: “I think it would be better if we just got on with things, that we started the rebuilding of the SNP and its political strength.” He added he thought the “overwhelming majority” of party members “wanted to get on with it”.

Asked where the party “disunity” came from, he cited the difficult leadership contest in 2023, which saw Humza Yousaf, Kate Forbes and Ash Regan condemn each other’s records and social views.

“I think we have basically just had a rough couple of years,” he said.

Mr McCormick, a former lawyer from Arden, near Loch Lomond, ran close to beating Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie for the seat of Dumbarton in 2007.