John Swinney was crowned the new SNP leader today after nominations in the party's contest to replace Humza Yousaf closed without him being challenged.

It was announced shortly after the midday deadline that Mr Swinney had run unopposed after SNP figures moved to dodge another divisive leadership battle.

Following his confirmation as the SNP's new leader, Mr Swinney is set to become Scotland's next first minister - replacing Mr Yousaf - in the coming days.

He will face a vote at Holyrood later this week, following which he will become the Scottish Parliament's nominated candidate to be the country's seventh first minister.

In his first speech as the SNP's new leader, Mr Swinney admitted the party had been through a 'rough time'.

He said he was 'deeply honoured' to take on the role and pledged to 'give all that I have to serve my party and my country'.

John Swinney was crowned the new SNP leader today after nominations in the party's contest to replace Humza Yousaf closed without him being challenged

Following his confirmation as the SNP's new leader, Mr Swinney is set to become Scotland's next first minister - replacing Mr Yousaf - in the coming days

In his first speech as the SNP's new leader, Mr Swinney admitted the party had been through a 'rough time'

The 60-year-old said he was 'deeply honoured' to take on the role and pledged to 'give all that I have to serve my party and my country'

After Mr Yousaf scrapped the SNP's power-sharing agreement with the Scottish Greens at Holyrood, Mr Swinney acknowledged he would have to 'seek compromises' as head of an SNP minority government.

He pledged he would 'seek to find common ground' and 'join together in coalitions of the willing and solve the problems our country faces'.

'If elected first minister, my focus will be the economy, jobs, the cost of living,' he added.

'It will be the National Health Service, our schools and our public services. It will be addressing the climate crisis.'

Mr Swinney said he would 'seek, with respect and courtesy, to persuade people of the case for independence'.

But he insisted that rival parties' opposition to the SNP's independence drive was 'not a reason for them to refuse to work with us to build the economy, support jobs and improve the health service'.

Mr Yousaf appealed for SNP unity in the wake of Mr Swinney's election after the party's chaos of recent months.

He said in a social media video that it was 'now time for every single SNP member to get right behind John Swinney'.

'Get behind his message to be united for independence,' he added, in a message of congratulations to his 'fantastic friend' Mr Swinney.

The SNP said in a statement: 'The SNP's nomination process closed at noon today. The party's national secretary, Lorna Finn, has subsequently confirmed John Swinney MSP as the new SNP leader.'

Party activist Graeme McCormick yesterday said he had secured the 100 nominations from 20 SNP branches needed to run against Mr Swinney.

But he later confirmed he had backed out of a leadership challenge after 'lengthy and fruitful' conversations with Mr Swinney. 

Mr Swinney had earlier warned that a full-blown contest could damage the party's chances of recovering from a 'difficult' period. 

The SNP were forced to look for a third new leader in little more than a year after Mr Yousaf, who replaced Nicola Sturgeon in March 2023, announced his resignation last Monday

Mr Swinney posted on social media that he was 'deeply honoured' to have been elected and pledged to 'give all that I have to serve my party and my country'

Keith Brown, the SNP's depute leader, this morning said the 'field is clearing' ahead of Mr Swinney's expected coronation.

'It seems to be that the field is cleaning somewhat and it looks like John Swinney might be the sole nominee,' he told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland. 

Mr Brown described Mr Swinney as the 'biggest hitter in the SNP' who would scare unionist parties 'to a great extent'.

The SNP were forced to look for a third new leader in little more than a year after Mr Yousaf, who replaced Nicola Sturgeon in March 2023, announced his resignation last Monday.

It came after the outgoing First Minister prompted a meltdown at Holyrood by terminating the SNP's power-sharing deal with the Scottish Greens.

This blew up in Mr Yousaf's face when the Greens then turned against him and vowed to vote in favour of him being ousted from Bute House.

Mr Yousaf subsequently quit in order to avoid the embarrassment of losing a no confidence vote.

Kate Forbes, the former Scottish finance secretary who came second to Mr Yousaf in last year's SNP leadership race, had been expected to run again.

But she last week confirmed she would not run against Mr Swinney, who heaped praise on her and said she would be offered a 'significant' job in his team.

The Scottish Government Cabinet will meet on Tuesday, with MSPs later given the opportunity to elect a new first minister at some point in the Holyrood schedule.

Mr Swinney would then have to swear three oaths of office at the Court of Session in Edinburgh before officially becoming first minister.

The 60-year-old, who has been an MSP ever since the Scottish Parliament's creation in 1999, served as Ms Sturgeon's deputy first minister for almost nine years.

The Perthshire North MSP was also SNP leader between 2000 and 2004, standing down after a poor showing at the European elections.

When he decided not to stand for the leadership last year he said it was time for a new generation to take over.

Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross urged Mr Swinney to 'govern for all of Scotland by abandoning his relentless push for independence'.

Mr Ross insisted his party would seek to 'hold John Swinney to account when he lets the Scottish people down – just as we've done with Humza Yousaf'.

'It's difficult to see how he can be the fresh start Scotland needs, when he's the ultimate continuity candidate,' he added.

'John Swinney was joined at the hip with the disgraced Nicola Sturgeon and his fingerprints are all over her numerous policy failures and cover-ups.'

With Mr Swinney having led the SNP previously between 2000 and 2004, Mr Ross went on to question if a 'failed former leader from two decades ago – who, as education secretary, sent Scotland plummeting down international league tables' was the best person to lead the country.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said: 'John Swinney's coronation is entirely about managing the SNP rather than running our country and delivering for Scotland.

'At a time when Scotland is crying out for change, the SNP is offering more of the same.

'John Swinney has been at the heart of this incompetent government for 17 years and at the heart of the SNP for 40 years.'

'From presiding over the exam results scandal as education secretary to destroying public finances as finance secretary, John Swinney's record is one of failure.

'This is a stitch-up by a chaotic and dysfunctional party that is more interested in protecting its own interests than serving the interests of the people of Scotland.'