Leader of the Scottish National Party
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The leader of the Scottish National Party is the highest position within Scotland's Scottish National Party (SNP). The incumbent is John Swinney, who was elected unopposed in the 2024 leadership election on 6 May 2024, succeeding Humza Yousaf as party leader.
Scotland has had a devolved government since 1999. When the SNP is Scotland's major governing party, as it currently is, its leader has also been the First Minister of Scotland.
History
The post was officially created on 7 April 1934 with the foundation of the SNP. The role was titled Chairman of the Scottish National Party from 1934 until 1969, with the first chairman, Alexander MacEwen, appointed to the office in 1934. In 1969 the title of chairman was replaced with that of National Convener, with William Wolfe the first person elected as National Convener. The post gained its current title of Leader at the SNP spring conference on 24 April 2004.
While Gordon Wilson had the longest uninterrupted spell as leader, lasting just over eleven years from 1979 to 1990, Alex Salmond has been the party's longest-serving leader overall, serving twenty years and two months across two spells as leader.
Other party leadership
Keith Brown is the depute leader of the party; however, he is not the Deputy First Minister of Scotland.[1][2]
Stephen Flynn is the Leader of the party's House of Commons delegation, with Pete Wishart as deputy leader.[3][4]
Leaders of the Scottish National Party (1934–present)
| Leader (Birth–Death)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Portrait | Political office | Took office | Left office |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SirScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". Alexander MacEwen (1875–1941)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
File:Mcewan.jpg | Provost of Inverness (1925–1931) Councillor for Benbecula (1931–1941)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".[5] |
7 April 1934 | 1936 |
| ProfScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". Andrew Dewar Gibb KC (1888–1974)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
File:Male portrait placeholder cropped.jpg | Candidate for Combined Scottish Universities (1936, 1938)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | 1936 | 1940 |
| William Power (1873–1951)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
File:Male portrait placeholder cropped.jpg | Candidate for Argyllshire (1940)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | 1940 | 30 May 1942 |
| Douglas Young (1913–1973)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
File:Douglas Young, circa 1945.jpg | Candidate for Kirkcaldy Burghs (1944)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | 30 May 1942 | 9 June 1945 |
| ProfScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". Bruce Watson (1910–1988)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
File:Male portrait placeholder cropped.jpg | 9 June 1945 | May 1947 | |
| DrScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". Robert McIntyre (1913–1998)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
File:Male portrait placeholder cropped.jpg | MP for Motherwell (1945) Provost of Stirling (1967–1975) Councillor for Stirling (1956–1975)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
May 1947 | June 1956 |
| James Halliday (1927–2013)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
File:Male portrait placeholder cropped.jpg | Candidate for Stirling and Falkirk (1959)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | June 1956 | 5 June 1960 |
| Arthur Donaldson (1901–1993)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
File:Arthur Donaldson, circa 1945.jpg | Councillor for Angus (1946–1955) Councillor for Forfar (1945–1968)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
5 June 1960 | 1 June 1969 |
| William Wolfe (1924–2010)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Candidate for West Lothian (1970–79)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | 1 June 1969 | 15 September 1979 | |
| Gordon Wilson (1938–2017)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
File:Winnie Ewing and Gordon Wilson Brussels (cropped).jpg | MP for Dundee East (1974–1987) | 15 September 1979 | 22 September 1990 |
| Alex Salmond (1954–2024) (1st Term)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
File:Alex Salmond, First Minister of Scotland (cropped).jpg | MP for Banff and Buchan (1987–2010) MSP for Banff and Buchan (1999–2001)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
22 September 1990 | 26 September 2000 |
| John Swinney (born 1964) (1st Term)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
File:John Swinney in 1999.jpg | MSP for North Tayside (1999–2011) MP for North Tayside (1997–2001)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
26 September 2000 | 3 September 2004 |
| The Right Hon.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". Alex Salmond (1954–2024) (2nd Term)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
File:Alex Salmond, First Minister of Scotland (cropped).jpg | First Minister (2007–2014) MSP for Aberdeenshire East (2011–2016) MSP for Gordon (2007–2011) MP for Gordon (2015–2017)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
3 September 2004 | 14 November 2014 |
| The Right Hon.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". Nicola Sturgeon (born 1970)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
File:First Minister Nicola Sturgeon official portrait (cropped).jpg | First Minister (2014–2023) MSP for Glasgow Southside (since 2011) MSP for Glasgow Govan (2007–2011) MSP for Glasgow (1999–2007)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
14 November 2014 | 27 March 2023 |
| The Right Hon.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". Humza Yousaf (born 1985)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
File:First Minister of Scotland Humza Yousaf (cropped 4).jpg | First Minister (2023–2024)
MSP for Glasgow Pollok (since 2016) |
27 March 2023 | 6 May 2024 |
| The Right Hon.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". John Swinney (born 1964) (2nd Term)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
File:John Swinney - First Minister (53720492021) (cropped).jpg | First Minister (2024–present) MSP for Perthshire North (since 2011) MSP for North Tayside (1999–2011) MP for North Tayside (1997–2001)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
6 May 2024 | Incumbent |
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Timeline
<timeline> DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy ImageSize = width:1000 height:auto barincrement:14 Period = from:01/01/1934 till:31/12/2027 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal AlignBars = late PlotArea = top:10 bottom:50 right:130 left:20 ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:4 start:01/01/1934 ScaleMinor = unit:year increment:1 start:01/01/1935
Define $today = 13/05/2026
Colors =
id:leader value:rgb(0.961, 0.914, 0.42)
BarData =
bar:MacEwen bar:Dewar-Gibb bar:Power bar:Young bar:Watson bar:McIntyre bar:Halliday bar:Donaldson bar:Wolfe bar:Wilson bar:Salmond bar:Swinney bar:Sturgeon bar:Yousaf
PlotData =
width:5 align:left fontsize:S shift:(5,-4) anchor:till
bar:MacEwen from: 07/04/1934 till: 01/01/1936 color:leader text:"Alexander MacEwen" bar:Dewar-Gibb from: 01/01/1936 till: 01/01/1940 color:leader text:"Andrew Dewar Gibb" bar:Power from: 01/01/1940 till: 30/05/1942 color:leader text:"William Power" bar:Young from: 30/05/1942 till: 09/06/1945 color:leader text:"Douglas Young" bar:Watson from: 09/06/1945 till: 01/05/1947 color:leader text:"Bruce Watson" bar:McIntyre from: 01/05/1947 till: 01/06/1956 color:leader text:"Robert McIntyre" bar:Halliday from: 01/06/1956 till: 05/06/1960 color:leader text:"James Halliday" bar:Donaldson from: 05/06/1960 till: 01/06/1969 color:leader text:"Arthur Donaldson" bar:Wolfe from: 01/06/1969 till: 15/09/1979 color:leader text:"William Wolfe" bar:Wilson from: 15/09/1979 till: 22/09/1990 color:leader text:"Gordon Wilson" bar:Salmond from: 22/09/1990 till: 26/09/2000 color:leader from: 03/09/2004 till: 14/11/2014 color:leader text:"Alex Salmond" bar:Swinney from: 26/09/2000 till: 03/09/2004 color:leader text: from: 06/05/2024 till: $today color:leader text:"John Swinney" bar:Sturgeon from: 14/11/2014 till: 27/03/2023 color:leader text:"Nicola Sturgeon" bar:Yousaf from: 27/03/2023 till: 06/05/2024 color:leader text:"Humza Yousaf"
</timeline>