2018 Scottish National Party depute leadership election

The Scottish National Party depute leadership election ran from 18 May to 8 June 2018. The election was contested for the party's new depute leader following the resignation of Angus Robertson in February 2018,^[1] after he lost his Westminster seat in the 2017 snap election.^[2]

2018 Scottish National Party depute leadership election

← 2016 18 May – 8 June 2018

Candidate Keith Brown Julie Hepburn Chris McEleny

Depute Leader before election Angus Robertson Elected Depute Leader Keith Brown

Keith Brown was announced as the winner of the election on 8 June 2018.^[3]

Procedure

Ballots opened on 18 May. The winner was announced as Keith Brown at the SNP conference in Aberdeen on 8 June.^[3][4]

Candidates

Nominations closed on 13 April 2018, there were three candidates:

• Keith Brown^[5] Member of the Scottish Parliament for Clackmannanshire and Dunblane and Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Jobs and Fair Work
• Julie Hepburn,^[6] the only candidate who is not an elected representative
• Chris McEleny,^[7] a councillor who ran in the last depute leadership election

Withdrew

• James Dornan,^[8] Member of the Scottish Parliament for Glasgow Cathcart who withdrew his candidacy on 8 April.^[9] He threw his support behind candidate Julie Hepburn.^[10]

Declined

• Pete Wishart^[11]
• Joanna Cherry^[12]
• Tommy Sheppard^[12]
• Ian Blackford^[13]
• Philippa Whitford^[14]

Campaign

The status of a second Scottish independence referendum was considered as a significant issue surrounding the depute leadership election, with Chris McEleny and Julie Hepburn seen as supporters of such a referendum occurring earlier rather than later.^{[15][16][17][18]}

Endorsements

Keith Brown

• Clare Adamson^[19]
• Ash Denham^[20]
• Annabelle Ewing^[21]
• Margaret Ferrier^[22]
• Ben MacPherson^[23]
• Ivan McKee^[24]
• Gil Paterson^[25]
• Humza Yousaf^[26]

Chris McEleny

• Angus McNeil^[27]

Julie Hepburn

• Aileen Campbell^[28]
• James Dornan^[10]
• Bob Doris^[29]
• Fulton MacGregor^[30]
• Gillian Martin^[31]
• Alison Thewliss^[32]
• Kirsten Oswald^[33]
• Sandra White^[34]

Results

The depute leadership election was conducted using the single transferable vote system, with the results being declared on 8 June. Keith Brown was elected as the new Depute Leader of the Scottish National Party with a majority of 55.2% of votes cast in the second round of voting, beating rival candidate Julie Hepburn who secured 44.8%. Candidate Chris McEleny finished third with 16.2%, having been eliminated in the first round of voting.^[3][35]

References

1. "Robertson quits as SNP deputy leader". BBC News. 3 February 2018.
2. "Angus Robertson named as SNP deputy leader". BBC News. 13 October 2016. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
3. SNP conference: Keith Brown elected deputy leader. BBC NEWS. Published 8 June 2018. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
4. Nominations close in SNP deputy leadership race. BBC NEWS. Published 13 April 2018. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
5. "Keith Brown joins SNP deputy race". BBC News. 5 March 2018. Retrieved 26 March 2018.
6. "Julie Hepburn joins SNP deputy leader contest". 17 February 2018. Retrieved 25 March 2018.
7. "Councillor joins SNP deputy leader race". 17 March 2018. Retrieved 25 March 2018.
8. "MSP James Dornan to run for SNP deputy leader role". 5 February 2018. Retrieved 25 March 2018.
9. "SNP's James Dornan pulls out of deputy leadership contest". HeraldScotland. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
10. "Dornan apologises to supporters after quitting depute race". The National. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
11. Bussey, Katrine (20 February 2018). "Wishart steps aside in SNP depute leadership contest". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
12. "Senior MPs ruled out of running for SNP deputy position". Retrieved 14 April 2018.
13. "Blackford rules out deputy leader job". BBC News. 12 February 2018. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
14. "Another senior MP rules herself out of standing for SNP depute". The National. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
15. "Brown is bookies' favourite in SNP depute leader contest". The National. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
16. "SNP deputy favourite ducks question on referendum timing". HeraldScotland. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
17. Bews, Lynsey (14 April 2018). "Three candidates in race to become SNP deputy leader". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
18. "We must hold IndyRef2 next year, says SNP depute leadership candidate Chris McEleny". iNews. 11 April 2018. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
19. @KeithBrownSNP (22 May 2018). ""Thanks again to Clare Adamson for supporting me in the Depute Leader contest. Still time to vote so you can too....."" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
20. @KeithBrownSNP (21 May 2018). ""Thanks to Ash Denham:-"" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
21. @KeithBrownSNP (27 May 2018). ""Thank you to Annabelle Ewing for your support."" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
22. "Keith Brown can get us ready for elections and referendums". The National. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
23. @KeithBrownSNP (6 May 2018). ""Thank you to Ben MacPherson MSP for supporting my bid to become our Party's Depute Leader."" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
24. "MSP backs Keith Brown's SNP depute leader bid". The National. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
25. @KeithBrownSNP (18 May 2018). ""Thank you to Gil Paterson."" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
26. @KeithBrownSNP (5 May 2018). ""Delighted to have the support of Humza Yousaf in Depute Leadership contest."" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
27. "Angus MacNeil backs underdog for SNP depute leader post". The National. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
28. @juliehepburnsnp (21 May 2018). ""Julie is tenacious, committed and she is a grafter - essential qualities for the Depute Leader. She has diligently and with great determination, made an enormously positive impact on our party over many years. As our new Depute Leader, imagine how much more she can contribute."" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
29. @juliehepburnsnp (3 June 2018). ""I am delighted to endorse and to have voted for Julie Hepburn as Depute Leader of the SNP. I believe Julie can redefine the role, so that it better reflects the needs of our membership and helps to get us primed for IndyRef 2."" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
30. @juliehepburnsnp (22 May 2018). ""I'm backing Julie Hepburn for Depute Leader. She has been pivotal in helping bring stunning electoral success to once Labour heartlands and I believe that she is the right person to motivate the grassroots of the party as we move towards independence."" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
31. @juliehepburnsnp (18 May 2018). ""Julie Hepburn is my choice for Depute Leader. Julie is an inspiration. If I had a fraction of her energy and ideas I'd be happy. She'd be an accessible, inspirational and dynamic Depute Leader for our party."" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
32. "Hepburn receives endorsement boost in SNP depute race". The National. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
33. "Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
34. @juliehepburnsnp (23 April 2018). ""I have known Julie for many years and been impressed by her dedication and hard work. Her organisational ability and her work with the grassroots of the party are second to none - that's why I am proud to say VOTE JULIE HEPBURN FOR DEPUTE"" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
35. "New SNP depute Keith Brown calls on independence supporters to 'get ready'". HeraldScotland. Retrieved 8 June 2018.

External links

• Nominations close in SNP deputy leadership race. BBC NEWS. Published 13 April 2018.