Ian Blackford to stand down as SNP leader at Westminster

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Mr Blackford will continue as the SNP MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber

Ian Blackford is to stand down as leader of the SNP group at Westminster, it has been confirmed.

Mr Blackford said he believed it was time for “fresh leadership” after five years in the role.

He said he would formally stand down at the group’s annual general meeting next week.

There has been speculation in recent weeks that some SNP MPs were plotting to replace Mr Blackford as group leader.

In a statement, he said he would continue in his role as the MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber and had also accepted a new role at the centre of the SNP’s independence campaign.

Mr Blackford said: “After more than five years in the role, now is the right time for fresh leadership at Westminster as we head towards a general election and the next steps in winning Scotland’s independence.

“During my time as leader, the SNP won a landslide victory in the 2019 general election, with an increased share of the vote and MPs, and support for independence has continued to grow with polling this week showing a majority in favour.”

Mr Blackford has become as well-known figure in the House of Commons through his weekly appearance at Prime Minister’s Questions.

He faced calls to resign from political opponents after the Daily Mail reported in June that it had obtained a recording of Mr Blackford urging fellow MPs to give “absolute full support” to SNP MP Patrick Grady, who was suspended for sexual misconduct.

Mr Grady, a former SNP chief whip, was suspended from Parliament for two days over a sexual advance towards a colleague in 2016, and also suspended from the SNP’s Westminster group for a week.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, the SNP leader, subsequently said that the support expressed for Mr Grady had been “unacceptable”.

There have been reports that some SNP MPs were also unhappy at Mr Blackford’s handling of the case, with Aberdeen South MP Stephen Flynn recently dismissing suggestions that he was “on manoeuvres” with a view to replacing him as group leader.

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SNP MP Stephen Flynn recently denied claims he was seeking to replace Mr Blackford as group leader

At the time, Mr Blackford made clear that he intended to stand for re-election to the post at the upcoming AGM.

He also denied rumours in March that he was considering resigning amid further reports of party infighting.

SNP sources have told BBC Scotland that they expect Mr Flynn to stand for the leadership, and that he has ”broad support” among their MPs and may be the only candidate to succeed Mr Blackford.

The Westminster group’s AGM will be held next Tuesday, with the new leader being selected by the 44 MPs who currently hold the SNP whip.

It means the leader will be in place to face Rishi Sunak at Prime Minister’s Questions the next day,

Mr Blackford defeated former Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy to become the MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber in 2015, with his campaign being mired in controversy over online abuse aimed at Mr Kennedy and his long-running battle with alcoholism.

Brian Smith, who was convenor of the SNP’s Skye and Lochalsh branch, later resigned after it was reported that he had called Mr Kennedy a “drunken slob” and “quisling-in-chief” in a series of more than 130 tweets.

Mr Kennedy died of a major haemorrhage linked to his alcoholism just three weeks after the election.

Ms Sturgeon said Mr Blackford had led the party’s Westminster group at a time of “huge electoral success”.

She added: “I would like to place on record my thanks for Ian’s diligence, tenacity, friendship and loyalty in his time as group leader.

“I look forward to working with Ian’s successor as group leader at Westminster, as we continue to make the case for the people of Scotland to have a democratic choice on the country’s future.”

SNP MP Joanna Cherry tweeted that she was “pleased to hear” that Mr Blackford was standing down as it was “time for fresh leadership and tolerance of debate and diverse viewpoints.”

She added: “I hope the SNP Westminster group will be now be left to choose our new leader without outside interference and in accordance with our standing orders.”

Labour’s shadow Scottish secretary Ian Murray said Mr Blackford’s decision to stand down showed that the SNP was in “total disarray”.

He added: “Nationalist MPs know Nicola Sturgeon’s plan for a de facto referendum is finished before its even started and are worried about Labour gaining seats.”

Scottish Conservative chairman Craig Hoy said Mr Blackford should have been “sacked immediately” by Ms Sturgeon over his support for Mr Grady, and accused the first minister of showing a “total lack of judgement”.

He added: “It is clear that, unlike Nicola Sturgeon, SNP MPs were not prepared to forgive how Ian Blackford put the needs of the perpetrator above the victim who had bravely come forward in this case.

“The SNP Westminster group are clearly in a state of disarray and Nicola Sturgeon is rapidly losing her grip over her party.”