Kirsten Oswald elected SNP deputy leader at Westminster

Kirsten Oswald has been elected the deputy leader of the SNP group at Westminster.

The MP for East Renfrewshire stood unopposed after former depute Kirsty Blackman stood down in July.

SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford welcomed the result saying “she brings a wealth of talent and experience to the role”.

Oswald is also the party’s business convener, a role she took on in 2018.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted her congratulations to Oswald, as did several SNP MPs.

Oswald replaced Blackman, who stepped down as deputy leader at Westminster in July citing the impact lockdown has had on her mental health and saying she wanted to prioritise constituency work and her family.

Oswald was first elected in 2015, standing against the former Scottish Labour leader Jim Murphy. She lost her seat in the 2017 but was reelected in the 2019 general election.