2000 Scottish National Party leadership election
{{Short description|Scottish National Party (SNP) leadership election}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2017}}
{{Infobox election
|election_name = 2000 Scottish National Party leadership election
|country =
|type = presidential
|ongoing = no
|previous_election = 1990 Scottish National Party leadership election
|previous_year = 1990
|next_election = 2003 Scottish National Party leadership election
|next_year = 2003
|election_date = 23 September 2000
|image1 = 160x160px
|candidate1 = John Swinney
|colour1 = FFFF00
|popular_vote1 = 547
|percentage1 = 67.1%
|image2 = 160x160px
|candidate2 = Alex Neil
|colour2 = FFFF00
|popular_vote2 = 268
|percentage2 = 32.9%
|title = Leader
|before_election = Alex Salmond
|after_election = John Swinney
}}
There was a Scottish National Party leadership election to choose the new National Convener of the Scottish National Party (SNP) in 2000. The election followed the announcement by SNP Leader Alex Salmond, that he would be stepping down as SNP leader in 2000. Salmond's announcement came in the face of internal criticism after a series of high-profile fall-outs with party members.{{cite news| title=Scramble to lead SNP as Salmond quits | work=The Telegraph | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1349165/Scramble-to-lead-SNP-as-Salmond-quits.html | date=18 July 2000 | accessdate=3 February 2012}} Elections were also held for the position of Depute Leader.
The election saw John Swinney become National Convener, and Roseanna Cunningham become Depute Leader.
National Convener election
=Candidates=
=Issues=
Whilst both candidates supported the position of the SNP on the centre-left, Neil was seen as the more left-wing of the two, and individuals associated with the Neil campaign argued that a Swinney administration would drag the SNP to the right.
In someways the fight was seen as being between the SNP's Fundamentalists and gradualists. Swinney was seen as representing the SNP gradualist wing, advocating devolution as a stepping stone towards Scottish independence. Neil however was far more critical and suspicious of devolution, viewing it as a means of undermining the case for independence, and was more forceful in pushing for a party emphasis on Scottish independence. Swinney, as a gradualist, argued that independence could only follow a successful vote in a referendum, whilst Neil believed that an SNP victory would be enough to secure negotiations for independence.{{cite news | last=Taylor |first=Brian |date=21 September 2000 |title=Filling the room at the top |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/uk_politics/2000/conferences/snp/932819.stm |newspaper=BBC News }}
Both candidates opposed trident, and were largely pro-European Union. Swinney however advocated joining the Euro at the earliest opportunity, whilst Neil believed pre-emptive joining of the Euro could undermine Scottish jobs. Swinney also favoured greater European integration on issues such as defence, whilst Neil favoured a weaker EU, and opposed the pooling of defence forces.
=Results=
==Voting system==
Each SNP branch sent delegates to the election, with larger branches sending more members. Some 700 delegates had the right to vote.{{cite news |last=Taylor |first=Brian |date=21 September 2000 |title=Tussle for the top |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/uk_politics/2000/conferences/snp/865888.stm |newspaper=BBC News }}
==Results==
===Leadership===
The result of the election was announced at the party conference on 23 September. John Swinney won the election by 547 votes to 268.{{cite news |date=23 September 2000 |title=Emphatic SNP win for Swinney |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/uk_politics/2000/conferences/snp/938727.stm |newspaper=BBC News }}
| class=wikitable style="font-size:95%;" | |
| colspan="2" scope="col" rowspan="2" width="125" | Candidate
! scope="col" colspan="3" width="75"| Delegate votes | |
|---|---|
| scope="col" colspan="2"| Votes
! % | |
| align="right"
| style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish National Party}}" | | scope="row" align="left" | John Swinney {{Y}} | 547 | align=center | {{percentage bar|67.1 | FFFF00}}
| 67.1% |
| align="right"
| style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish National Party}}" | | scope="row" align="left"| Alex Neil | 268 | align=center | {{percentage bar|32.9 | FFFF00}}
| 32.9% |
===Depute===
| class=wikitable style="font-size:95%;"
|+ First round | |
| colspan="2" scope="col" rowspan="2" width="125" | Candidate
! scope="col" colspan="3" width="75"| Votes[https://www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/research/research-archive/dmr99-04/scotnov00.pdf p.44-45] | |
|---|---|
| scope="col" colspan="2"| Votes
! % | |
| align="right"
| style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish National Party}}" | | scope="row" align="left" | Roseanna Cunningham | 391 | align=center | {{percentage bar|48.2 | FFFF00}}
| 48.2% |
| align="right"
| style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish National Party}}" | | scope="row" align="left"| Kenny MacAskill | 312 | align=center | {{percentage bar|38.5 | FFFF00}}
| 38.5% |
| align="right"
| style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish National Party}}" | | scope="row" align="left"| Peter Kearney {{N}} | 108 | align=center | {{percentage bar|13.3 | FFFF00}}
| 13.3% |
| class=wikitable style="font-size:95%;"
|+ Second round | |
| colspan="2" scope="col" rowspan="2" width="125" | Candidate | |
|---|---|
| scope="col" colspan="2"| Votes
! % | |
| align="right"
| style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish National Party}}" | | scope="row" align="left" | Roseanna Cunningham {{Y}} | 457 | align=center | {{percentage bar|58.6 | FFFF00}}
| 58.6% |
| align="right"
| style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish National Party}}" | | scope="row" align="left"| Kenny MacAskill | 323 | align=center | {{percentage bar|41.4 | FFFF00}}
| 41.4% |
===Treasurer===
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;" | |
| colspan="2" scope="col" rowspan="2" width="125" | Candidate | |
|---|---|
| scope="col" colspan="2"| Votes
! % | |
| align="right"
| style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish National Party}}" | | scope="row" align="left" | Jim Mather {{Y}} | 632 | align=center | {{percentage bar|78.9 | FFFF00}}
| 78.9% |
| align="right"
| style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish National Party}}" | | scope="row" align="left"| Ian Blackford | 143 | align=center | {{percentage bar|17.9 | FFFF00}}
| 17.9% |
| align="right"
| style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish National Party}}" | | scope="row" align="left"| Jim Wright | 26 | align=center | {{percentage bar|3.2 | FFFF00}}
| 3.2% |