SNP Leadership contest 2004

'Scottish National Party MSP Alex Neil has announced that he will not be standing in his party's leadership contest. BBC Scotland News, 4 th July 2004.

Neil stays out of leadership race

From BBC Scotland News 4 th July 2004

Scottish National Party MSP Alex Neil has announced that he will not be standing in his party's leadership contest.

Mr Neil said he believed that he could win the vote, but that there was a lack of support from within the SNP.

In a statement, he said that senior figures in the party had made it clear that they would not support him.

His decision leaves three contenders: Mike Russell, Nicola Sturgeon and Roseanna Cunningham.

Leadership undermined

Mr Neil said that public comments from MSPs Alex Salmond and Fergus Ewing, that they would not work with him as leader, were crucially significant in his decision not to stand.

He argued that if he was voted in to replace John Swinney, his leadership would have been undermined from day one, and that would have been very damaging to the party.

Expressing regret and reluctance over his decision not to accept nomination, Mr Neil thanked those who had promised to support him.

He said that he would not be endorsing any other candidates, either for the leadership or deputy leadership, and nor would he participate in the campaign, other that exercising his vote as a party member.