Banff & Buchan By-election 2001

'The presence of the SNP's most famous face at Westminster would blunt Labour's claim that the SNP had no interest in the House of Commons now there is a Scottish parliament.' Frances Horsburgh in the Herald, 15 th January 2001.

Salmond wins backing

By Frances Horsburgh in Herald 11 th January 2001

As expected they backed a strategy which allows the former leader effectively to switch places with his friend Stewart Stevenson, the party's current candidate for the UK seat.

A meeting of the party's national executive at the weekend cleared the way for the switch by unanimously backing the proposal.

While Mr Salmond will now fight to remain an MP at the general election, widely tipped to be held in May, Mr Stevenson will be the SNP's candidate in a Holyrood by-election, expected to be held the same day as the Westminster poll.

After the special meeting in Strichen last night, Stan Tennant, the local convener, said the association was extremely pleased to have two such strong candidates to stand up for their interests and those of Scotland in both the Scottish and Westminster parliaments.

He added that although the suggestion for Alex Salmond to stay at Westminster and Stewart Stevenson to become Holyrood candidate originally came from John Swinney, the party leader, the constituency very much had the final say and "we enthusiastically believe it is the right thing for Banff and Buchan, Scotland and the SNP."

The former leader will now become the only existing Nationalist MP not to pull out of Westminster as all five other SNP MPs are quitting to concentrate on the Scottish Parliament.

Mr Salmond's decision has been subject to a hail of criticism from his political opponents who have accused him of hypocrisy over wanting to remain at Westminster while having described MPs as "an endangered species with increasingly obsolete roles."

SNP strategists and Mr Salmond himself believe two advantages will be gained by keeping the former leader in London. The presence of the SNP's most famous face at Westminster would blunt Labour's claim that the SNP had no interest in the House of Commons now there is a Scottish parliament.

It would also give John Swinney, the new leader, a chance to establish himself without Mr Salmond being constantly at his elbow in Edinburgh.

- Jan 15