THE four candidates for the SNP’s party presidency have been revealed, including the one-time leadership rival of John Swinney in the running.
Former MSP and current SNP president Maureen Watt will be up against Chris Hanlon, Graham Campbell and grassroots activist Graeme McCormick for the senior position.
Previous post holders include the likes of Winnie Ewing, Ian Hudghton and Michael Russell.
Watt was elected the SNP’s president in September as she beat McCormick for the role after it was vacated by Michael Russell in December 2023.
Campbell is a veteran campaigner and SNP councillor for Glasgow City Council, and is the SNP’s Socialists co-convener.
Meanwhile, Hanlon is a former member of the SNP Policy Development, Conference, and Member Conduct Committees.
McCormick told The National last month that he had considered running to become SNP president following unsuccessful bids in 2024 and 2023.
The veteran SNP member said the party needed a “strong president to protect the party’s historic mission” and confirmed he was considering throwing his hat in the ring.
McCormick’s campaign may have more momentum than previous ones as he is one of the main architects of a proposal that challenges Swinney’s independence strategy, which will be debated at the party's conference in Aberdeen next weekend.
Swinney wants the UK Government to agree to an independence referendum if the SNP wins a majority at next year's Holyrood election.
However, McCormick who has previously backed approaches to gaining independence focused on international law and told The National last year that he believed that the election of a majority of SNP MPs should result in the dissolution of the Union.
This would involve the establishment of a “sovereign” government of Scotland and telling the UN that the United Kingdom had ceased to exist.
He previously said that this formula was the “how of delivering our nation statehood”.
McCormick challenged Swinney for the job as SNP leader last year, but eventually conceded his bid, sparing the party a potentially costly and bruising election.
