STEWART Hosie, the SNP's Treasury spokesman, has secured the formal endorsement of all but one of his colleagues at Westminster in his bid for the party's deputy leadership.
The Dundee East MP had, according to Angus Robertson, the Nationalist leader at Westminster, "the strongest experience to deliver SNP electoral success and move Scotland towards independence". Mr Hosie, 51, also received the backing of MPs Angus MacNeil, Eilidh Whiteford and Mike Weir, who represent the Western Isles, Banff and Buchan and Angus respectively.
Mr Hosie, in seeking to replace Nicola Sturgeon, is up against MSPs Keith Brown, the Scottish Government's Transport and Veterans Minister, and Angela Constance, its Cabinet Secretary for Training, Youth and Women's Employment.
Mr Robertson said: "I will be voting for Stewart Hosie because of his strong record and experience.
He defeated Labour to get to Westminster, delivered a Yes referendum majority in Dundee and has held high office in the SNP as National Secretary.
"The next test for the SNP is the Westminster elections and Stewart Hosie is best qualified among a strong field to maintain the momentum from the referendum campaign and deliver a Westminster breakthrough," added the MP for Moray.
The result of the deputy leadership contest will be announced at the SNP conference in Perth next month.
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