Stewart Hosie becomes SNP deputy leader

MP for Dundee East Stewart Hosie has been voted deputy leader of the SNP.

Hosie will replace Nicola Sturgeon, who now officially leads of the party.

He received 55.5 per cent of the votes in the second round of the contest, with nearest challenger Keith Brown MSP on 44.4 per cent. The other candidate for the role, Angela Constance MSP, was eliminated in the first round under the single transferable vote system.

Hosie took to the stage at the party’s conference in Perth and paid tribute to both Brown and Constance, saying the contest had been an amicable one.

He added: “We've been running around the country for the past four weeks together, criss-crossing at random, the most ridiculous journeys. We know each other's speeches inside out and in that four weeks, not a cross word.

"The unity of purpose Keith and Angela and I have shown, and the unity of purpose the party has shown, turning up in extraordinary numbers in every part of Scotland, has been extraordinary."

He compared the tone of the SNP contest to Scottish Labour's search for a new leader and deputy.

"That is a party who want to unify because they think the referendum may have been damaging," he added. "Friends, the referendum was no more and no less than an act of self-determination. We didn't win, but we were close. That was not divisive, that was democracy".

A total of 34,934 votes were cast in the depute leadership election – with a turnout of 55.7 per cent. This represents some ten thousand more people voting than the SNP had members on referendum day.​

Hosie continued: "The referendum campaign changed Scotland forever - people across the country simply aren’t willing to return to the same old politics as usual from the Westminster establishment.  We will ensure that the powers Scotland was promised during the referendum are delivered in full– or the Westminster parties will pay a heavy price at the ballot box.
 
“The referendum campaign unleashed a new wave of confidence in Scotland – and with our soaring membership and Nicola Sturgeon engaging with people at public events across the country, the SNP is uniquely placed to harness this unprecedented level of engagement.
                                                                                                   
“As we move forward into next year’s General Election this new spirit of engagement, confidence and positivity puts our party in a fantastic position to deliver a strong team of MPs – which will leave the Westminster establishment with absolutely no hiding place on their vow of more powers.”

Read Holyrood's full Q&A with the three deputy leader candidates here.