Stephen Flynn has been named the SNP’s new Westminster leader, defeating rival Alison Thewliss to replace Ian Blackford.
The result is a blow for Nicola Sturgeon, with the parliamentary party snubbing her close ally in favour of a candidate who looks set to distance the group from the leadership in Edinburgh.
Mr Flynn and his running mate Mhairi Black ended up winning comfortably, taking 26 votes to Ms Thewliss's 17.
In a statement, Mr Flynn said his MPs would be "relentlessly focused on standing up for Scotland's interests and our democratic right to decide our future in an independence referendum."
Why is the news a blow for Nicola Sturgeon?
In the immediate aftermath of Mr Blackford's resignation, most had expected a coronation for Mr Flynn.
Ms Thewliss shocked the party when she announced her bid on Saturday night, just two days after Mr Flynn had held a meeting with the First Minister in Bute House.
Some MPs viewed her candidacy as the First Minister's attempt to kibosh Mr Flynn's leadership ambitions.
Read more: Clear-out of SNP's old guard has been a long time coming
He was part of the so-called Tuesday Club, whose members, including David Linden, Gavin Newlands, Alan Brown, had been critical of Mr Blackford since a vote on benefits in February.
The SNP leadership in Edinburgh had urged MPs to abstain on a vote to raise benefits by just £10.07 a month and the state pension by £5.55 a week.
However, Mr Linden and Glasgow South West MP Chris Stephens defied the party’s orders and voted against the Government.
Mr Flynn has also publicly split with the First Minister over oil and gas exploration.
Last year, when Ms Sturgeon wrote to the then prime minister, Boris Johnson, calling for all new oil and gas extraction licenses to be reassessed in light of the climate crisis, the Aberdeen South MP warned about being “in a situation where we are ever more reliant on imports.”
Profile: Stephen Flynn
Dundee-born and Brechin raised Mr Flynn has been an MP since 2019’s general election when took the seat off the Tories.
His first day in Westminster had to be delayed by two weeks when his wife gave birth to their baby boy three days after the election.
Prior to Westminster, he was a councillor in Aberdeen, serving as the SNP group’s leader. He also worked as a researcher to MSPs and MPs.
Currently, the 34-year-old father of one holds the party’s Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy brief.
A massive thank you to everyone for their kind messages, to Ian and Kirsten for the example they have set and also to Alison and Stuart - two of the most talented and compassionate people I’ve the good fortune to know.
— Stephen Flynn MP (@StephenFlynnSNP) December 6, 2022
Now, time to deliver 🏴! pic.twitter.com/bYQvwlPN5u
His support for the oil and gas industry could see him at odds with Nicola Sturgeon.
Last year, when the First Minister wrote to the then prime minister, Boris Johnson, calling for all new oil and gas extraction licenses to be reassessed in light of the climate crisis, he warned about being “in a situation where we are ever more reliant on imports.”
In the Twitter statement announcing his bid to replace Ian Blackford he said that "few working class folk ever make it to Parliament, fewer still run to be political leaders."
He added: “Even fewer do so having spent almost the entirety of their teenage and adult years battling a physical disability.
“Your experiences tend to shape you, and I’m no different."
Read more: All eyes on Westminster as Ian Blackford leaves the stage
Until just two years ago the MP was unable to walk without support or crutches, often using a wheelchair.
Mr Flynn was 14 when he collapsed in pain at school. Doctors later diagnosed avascular necrosis – the death of bone tissue due to a lack of blood supply.
An operation in 2020 changed all that. The first thing he did was take a pain-free walk along the beach with his little boy.
Mr Flynn is a keen Dundee United fan, often travelling down to the city from his home in Aberdeen to watch games.
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel