Activist who called SNP strategy 'flatulence in a trance' mounts leadership bid

05 May 2024 , 13:04

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Graeme McCormick has signalled he intends to stand to be First Minister

The SNP could face another bitter leadership contest as an eleventh-hour challenge looked set to derail John Swinney’s coronation as First Minister.

Veteran SNP activist Graeme McCormick, who branded the Scottish Government's independence strategy "flatulence in a trance" last year, is battling to secure enough nominations to get onto the ballot paper. Mr Swinney had looked like he would become SNP leader and First Minister uncontested after rival Kate Forbes ruled herself out of the race.

But SNP rules allow anyone who can get 100 signatures from 20 branches to run to be party leader. Mr McCormick, a retired solicitor who was convenor of the SNP's Dumbarton branch, would not be able to become First Minister as he is not an elected politician.

Former deputy first minister John Swinney had been hoping to become SNP leader without a contest (PA Wire)

But he could still force Mr Swinney into a contest if he gets enough signatures by midday on Monday, prolonging the chaos within the party following Humza Yousaf's resignation. Today, Mr Swinney argued a leadership race would delay attempts to rebuild the party.

The former Deputy First Minister told Sky News: "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."

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He told the BBC he would respect the "democratic process" if there was a contest but added: "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."

Asked about the disunity within the party, he pointed to the bitter leadership race to succeed Nicola Sturgeon last year, which saw Mr Yousaf, Ms Forbes and Ash Regan tear chunks out of each other. "I think we have basically just had a rough couple of years," he added.

If Mr McCormick gets enough signatures, a leadership race will run until May 27. But if Mr Swinney is unopposed, he will be named as the next SNP leader and become First Minister as early as next week. Mr Swinney, who led the SNP in opposition from 2000 to 2004, faced a leadership challenge from an activist in 2003 but won with 83.9% of the vote.

Lizzy Buchan