Leader of the Scottish National Party
Leader of the Scottish National Party | |
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since 14 November 2014 | |
Inaugural holder | Alexander MacEwen |
Formation | 7 April 1934 |
Deputy | Keith Brown |
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The Leader of the Scottish National Party is the head of the SNP. The incumbent is Nicola Sturgeon who was elected unopposed in November 2014, succeeding Alex Salmond as party leader and First Minister of Scotland.[1]
History
The post was officially created on 7 April 1934 with the foundation of the SNP. The role was titled Chairman of the Scottish National Party from 1934 until 1969, with the first Chairman, Alexander MacEwen, appointed to the office in 1934. In 1969 the title of Chairman was replaced with that of National Convener, with William Wolfe the first person elected as National Convener. The post gained its current title of Leader at the SNP spring conference on 24 April 2004.
Role
Currently, the leader Nicola Sturgeon, the First Minister and Leader of the Scottish National Party, is responsible for the overall growth. They usually advocate for Scottish independence and Pro Europeanism.[2]
Keith Brown is the Depute Leader of the Scottish National Party; however, he is not the Deputy First Minister of Scotland.[3][4]
Ian Blackford is the Leader of the Scottish National Party in Westminster, along with Kirsten Oswald, who is Deputy Leader.[5][6]
Leaders of the Scottish National Party (1934-present)
Leaders of the Scottish National Party | ||||
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Leader (birth-death) |
Portrait | Political Office | Took Office | Left Office |
Sir Alexander MacEwen (1875–1941) |
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Provost of Inverness (1925–1931) Councillor for Benbecula (1931–1941)[7] |
7 April 1934 | 1936 |
Prof Andrew Dewar Gibb KC (1888–1974) |
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Candidate for Combined Scottish Universities (1936, 1938) | 1936 | 1940 |
William Power (1873–1951) |
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Candidate for Argyllshire (1940) | 1940 | 30 May 1942 |
Douglas Young (1913–1973) |
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Candidate for Kirkcaldy Burghs (1944) | 30 May 1942 | 9 June 1945 |
Prof Bruce Watson (1910–1988) |
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9 June 1945 | May 1947 | |
Dr Robert McIntyre (1913–1998) |
MP for Motherwell (1945) Provost of Stirling (1967–1975) Councillor for Stirling (1956–1975) |
May 1947 | June 1956 | |
James Halliday (1927–2013) |
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Candidate for Stirling and Falkirk (1959) | June 1956 | 5 June 1960 |
Arthur Donaldson (1901–1993) |
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Councillor for Angus (1946–1955) Councillor for Forfar (1945–1968) |
5 June 1960 | 1 June 1969 |
William Wolfe (1924–2010) |
File:William Wolfe (cropped).gif | Candidate for West Lothian (1970–79) | 1 June 1969 | 15 September 1979 |
Gordon Wilson (1938–2017) |
MP for Dundee East (1974–1987) | 15 September 1979 | 22 September 1990 | |
The Right Hon. Alex Salmond (b. 1954) (1st Term) |
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MP for Banff and Buchan (1987–2010) MSP for Banff and Buchan (1999–2001) |
22 September 1990 | 26 September 2000 |
John Swinney (b. 1964) |
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Deputy First Minister (since 2014)
MSP for Perthshire North (since 2011) |
26 September 2000 | 3 September 2004 |
The Right Hon. Alex Salmond (b. 1954) (2nd Term) |
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First Minister (2007–2014) MSP for Aberdeenshire East (2011–2016) MSP for Gordon (2007–2011) MP for Gordon (2015–2017) |
3 September 2004 | 14 November 2014 |
The Right Hon. Nicola Sturgeon (b. 1970) |
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First Minister (since 2014) MSP for Glasgow Southside (since 2011) MSP for Glasgow Govan (2007–2011) MSP for Glasgow (1999–2007) |
14 November 2014 | Incumbent |
Living former party leaders
There are two living former party leaders:
References
- ^ "Nicola Sturgeon elected SNP leader". BBC News. 14 November 2014. Retrieved 2020-05-09.
- ^ "SNP calls for opposition parties to back two-year Brexit transition extension due to coronavirus crisis". The Independent. 2020-05-05. Retrieved 2020-05-09.
- ^ "Keith Brown". www.parliament.scot. 2019-10-09. Retrieved 2020-05-09.
- ^ "Keith Brown elected SNP deputy leader". BBC News. 2018-06-08. Retrieved 2020-05-09.
- ^ "Ian Blackford MP elected SNP Westminster leader". BBC News. 2017-06-14. Retrieved 2021-06-01.
- ^ "Kirsten Oswald is new SNP Westminster deputy leader". BBC News. 2020-07-07. Retrieved 2021-06-01.
- ^ "Scottish Highland Photo Archive – Image Detail". www.scottishhighlanderphotoarchive.co.uk. Retrieved 2020-04-06.