Wishart bows out of SNP deputy leader race

Decision: Longserving MP cites lack of positive response to recent comments on independence

A senior MP has ruled himself out of the race to be the SNP’S deputy leader after his comments on independence fell flat.

Pete Wishart, who represents Perth and North Perthshire, warned the party against rushing into Indyref2 before sceptical Scots had been won over.

The longest-serving of today’s batch of SNP MPS also called for more to be done to reach out to Leave voters, who struggle with the SNP mantra of independence in the EU.

Mr Wishart told The Courier his prospects in the race would have been better if he dialled down or swerved his opinions on independence, but said he was not willing to “gloss over” key issues.

“I put forward a few suggestions, I thought they would be reasonably well received,” he said.

“I just got the sense that I was not getting an overwhelmingly positive response to it all, so I thought I would bow out gracefully.”

Asked if there needed to be freer debate in the contest, he said: “It’s up to the party to decide how they want to do these things in the way they want.”

Writing on his blog, Mr Wishart said it was clear he did not have “sufficient support within the party” to become its second-in-command.

He added: “There are certain issues I could have perhaps ducked or de-emphasised in order to better assist me in any depute leader contest, but anyone who knows me knows this is not something I would be prepared to do.”

Mr Wishart called for the party to adopt a “graduated approach” for an independent Scotland to rejoin the EU with “checks and breaks factored in”.

He also proposed a “proper, honest” assessment of why the party lost 21 MPS in last year’s election and urged caution from those demanding an independence referendum rerun before Scots had been convinced by a fresh case.

The deputy position is open following this month’s resignation of Angus Robertson, who lost his Moray seat in last year’s general election.

James Dornan, the Glasgow MSP, and Julie Hepburn, an SNP staffer who has worked for Deputy First Minister John Swinney and Mr Wishart, have announced they are running.

gmcpherson@thecourier.co.uk

Picture: Danny Lawson. Pete Wishart felt he did not have sufficient support within his party to become its second-in-command.