SNP Leadership contest 2004

'I will provide full support and loyalty to the newly-elected leadership team.' SNP deputy leadership candidate, Fergus Ewing MSP, 3 rd September 2004.

'We were stuffed by Salmond'

From BBC Scotland News, 3 rd September 2004

Defeated candidate Roseanna Cunningham has admitted that she was "well stuffed" in the contest to become leader of the Scottish National Party.

Alex Salmond secured 4,952 votes - almost 4,000 more than the Perth MSP - as he clinched a resounding victory in the ballot.

"It's pretty convincing, so there's not much you can quibble about," she said.

Mike Russell, who finished in third place with 631 votes, agreed that it was a "very decisive" result.

"On the basis of that, we will all try and will be making sure that the party goes forwards," he said.

Ms Cunningham, who was deputy leader under John Swinney, agreed that it was a "pretty convincing" result.

"Mike and I got well stuffed and obviously the party's got to move on now," she said.

Mr Salmond's running mate Nicola Sturgeon secured the deputy leader's position after securing just over half the vote of party members.

Fergus Ewing, the MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, took second place with just under a quarter of the votes.

He said the leadership contest had given "momentum" to the SNP.

"The people have spoken and they did not say Fergus Ewing," he conceded.

"I will provide full support and loyalty to the newly-elected leadership team.

"Beyond question, this election has given the SNP a boost."

Christine Grahame achieved 21% of the vote as she came third in the deputy leadership contest.

"With a high turnout, I suspected this would be how the results would be," she said.

She said she was "extremely pleased" with her own result and declared that the leadership team had her full support.