FORMER Deputy First Minister John Swinney has announced his candidacy for the leadership of the SNP.

It was widely expected that he would stand after receiving the backing of many leading figures in the party including the party's Westminster leader Stephen Flynn, education secretary Jenny Gilruth, and health secretary Neil Gray amongst others.

The veteran MSP previously held the leadership post between 2000 and 2004 when the idea of an SNP-led government was a distant prospect.

He is widely regarded as a safe pair of hands at a time when the party is facing significant challenges.

READ MORE: John Swinney set to become Scotland's seventh first minister

As he launched his bid, he spoke of his wish to "unite the SNP and unite Scotland for independence".

He said that if he won, he did not intend to be an interim leader, and added that he is not a caretaker.

He said: "I am offering to lead my party through the Westminster elections, to lead us beyond the 2026 elections, to contest, which I intend to win for the SNP and for Scotland."

He reached out to his potential rival the former finance secretary Kate Forbes, lauding her abilities and talents, and vowing that should he become party leader he would offer her a leading post in his cabinet.

He had held talks with Forbes, whose allies praised Swinney's speech, and has offered her an important post in his government, although he refused to be drawn on whether he'd offered her his old job as deputy First Minister.

The National: Kate Forbes ruled herself out of the running to be the new leader of the SNP

The talks were evidently successful, as on Thursday afternoon Forbes announced she would not be contesting the leadership, which means that barring some unforeseen last-minute upset Swinney will be the sole candidate.

He will be adopted as leader without a vote of the party membership and without a potentially damaging and rancorous leadership contest.

Polling expert John Curtice estimates that the argumentative, and at times bad-tempered, leadership contest held after the resignation of Nicola Sturgeon cost the SNP around five percentage points in opinion polling.

With Labour snapping at the SNP's heels, could potentially make the difference between an SNP or a Labour victory at the Westminster general election - expected later this year.

READ MORE: Kate Forbes's full statement as she rules herself out of SNP leadership race

Swinney said that if he won he did not intend to be an interim leader and added that he is not a caretaker.

He said: "I am offering to lead my party through the Westminster elections, to lead us beyond the 2026 elections, to contest, which I intend to win for the SNP and for Scotland."

He reached out to his potential rival the former finance secretary Forbes, lauding her abilities and talents, and vowing that should he become party leader he would offer her a leading post in his cabinet.

He has held talks with Forbes, whose allies praised Swinney's speech and has offered her an important post in his government.

Although, he refused to be drawn on whether he'd offered her his old job as deputy First Minister.

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The talks were evidently successful as on Thursday afternoon Forbes announced she would not be contesting the leadership, which means that barring some unforeseen last-minute upset, Swinney will be the sole candidate.

He will be adopted as leader without a vote of the party membership and without a potentially damaging and rancorous leadership contest.

Calm heads have prevailed, and Forbes did not want to be seen as the person who prolonged the SNP's agony and caused a leadership contest, which would only have led to intense media focus on the SNP's divisions and risked further damaging the party's standing in opinion polling.

In a statement released on Thursday afternoon, Forbes described her talks with Swinney as "frank and constructive," saying: "What emerged was that we share a powerful common purpose for the country."

She added: "That includes a passion to revitalise our party, reach out to those who feel disempowered, and reinvigorate the independence movement.

“It also includes an understanding that economic growth and tackling poverty must again be key priorities, and that a just transition to ‘net zero’ must work with, and not against, our communities and businesses.

“But more than that, John is clear that he is determined to return the SNP to governing from the mainstream. Competent, candid government earning the trust of the people.

“That was the vision I offered in the last leadership contest."

As he announced his candidacy this morning the man we now know will be Scotland's next First Minister as early as next week also spoke about the need to reach out beyond the SNP in order to convince the people of Scotland that independence is what the country needs.

The National: John Swinney has announced his intent to lead the SNP for a second time 

He said: "I want to build on the work of the SNP government to create a modern, diverse, dynamic Scotland that will ensure opportunities for all of our citizens."

He added: "Looking across these islands with a UK election looming the SNP alone stands up for ordinary people, for workers, for families."

He continued: "SNP policies transform lives, they lift children from poverty, give them a better start in life, and enable them to go to university.

There could now be a vote early next week to elect Swinney as First Minister and to get on with the important task of providing Scotland with an alternative to the Conservatives and the Tory-lite politics of Keir Starmer.

This piece is an extract from today’s REAL Scottish Politics newsletter, which is emailed out at 7pm every weekday with a round-up of the day's top stories and exclusive analysis from the Wee Ginger Dug.

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