John Swinney to remain SNP leader regardless of general election result as party braced for losses

John Swinney has said he will remain as SNP leader regardless of his party's performance at this week's general election.

The Nationalists are braced for heavy losses across Scotland with most opinion polls placing them behind Labour in likely voting intentions.

Swinney only became SNP leader and First Minister in May after the sudden downfall of Humza Yousaf's administration.

The party veteran insisted today he was determined to lead the Nationalists into the 2026 Holyrood election.

"I became leader of the SNP eight weeks ago today and I came into leadership in the SNP to bring my party together and to bring my country together,” he told BBC Radio 4.

"I committed to do that for the long term, I committed to that task, to take my party well beyond the 2026 Scottish Parliament elections, and that’s exactly what I intend to do.”

If his party does manage to win at least 29 of Scotland’s 57 seats at this election, that would be a mandate for negotiations with the UK Government over the holding of a referendum on Scottish independence, Swinney has said.

But he has refused to countenance not winning the required number, despite facing repeated questions from the media on what would happen if his party lost the election.

The First Minister’s comments came as he campaigned in the north-east of Scotland with candidate Seamus Logan – who is fighting for the Aberdeenshire North and Moray East seat against embattled Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross.

Swinney said: “The result of the election in England is a foregone conclusion – Keir Starmer is going to be Prime Minister and he is going to carry on with the same broken politics and right-wing policies as the Tories.

“The only story left in this election is here in Scotland, where the result is on a knife-edge and where there is a real contest of ideas and values.”

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