A much diminished group of SNP MPs will decide their new leader at Westminster.

The vacancy has been caused by the defeat of Angus Robertson, who lost his Moray seat in Thursday night's General Election.

A host of other big names, and potential successors to Mr Roberston, were also swept away as the party lost 21 of the 56 seats it took in 2015.

They included former party leader Alex Salmond and rising star Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh, who failed to hold her Ochil and South Perthshire seat.

Those who could throw their hat in the ring include Tommy Shepperd, the Edinburgh MP, who did well in the party's deputy leadership election last year, although he ultimately lost out to Mr Robertson.

Other names include Stephen Gethins, the party's widely respected Europe spokesman, who held on to his seat in North East Fife by just two votes on Thursday night, Edinburgh MP and highly-rated media performer Joanna Cherry, Ian Blackford, the former investment banker and the party's pensions spokesman at Westminster and the current chair of the high-profile Scottish Affairs Committee Pete Wishart.

The job includes grilling Mrs May every week at Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs).

Mr Roberston was praised for the statesmanlike way he approached that role, often asking a foreign policy question,

He was also noted for being the only party leader to tackle Mrs May on some of the big issues of the day, despite coming after Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn in the pecking order.

He was also praised for the way he handled the group's sudden increase from six to 56 MPs in 2015, shaping the party's claim to be the "real opposition" at Westminster.

Mr Robertson had held the seat since 2001.

The former journalist, 47, was born in Wimbledon, south west London, and brought up in Edinburgh.

He worked for the BBC before making the shift into politics.

There is nothing in the party rules that state that the SNP's deputy leader has to be a serving parliamentarian.

The new Westminster leader will be chosen by a vote among SNP MPs.