John Swinney confirms he is standing for SNP leadership and first minister | Scottish National party (SNP)

John Sweeney has said he will run for SNP leader and First Minister of Scotland.

He made the announcement at a press conference on Thursday morning after it emerged on Wednesday that he had met with the other front-runners for succeeded Humza Yousaf, who stepped down as first minister on Mondayfor informal talks in an attempt to avoid another divisive and damaging leadership contest.

Mr Sweeney told a campaign launch event in Edinburgh city center that he had the most experience in government and as a senior figure in the SNP he would work to bind the party together, restore voter confidence and achieve independence.

He said he had the “strong, reassuring experience” needed to “create a bridge to the future for our party at a time of difficulty”.

He has repeatedly said the SNP is not a “cohesive” or united party after the internal feuds and factionalism that came to the fore when his close friend and former boss Nicola Sturgeon challenged a leadership election last year.

To cheers from his supporters, including five Scottish Government cabinet secretaries, he said: “Only I can bring the SNP together as a united team; opposition parties in Scotland better watch out what’s coming for them.

Stung by the suggestion that he was being called on as an interim role, Mr Sweeney said he wanted to lead the SNP beyond the Scottish general election in 2026. “I’m not a watchdog. I am not an interim leader. I offer to lead my party through the Westminster election, to lead us beyond the 2026 election – two contests I intend to win for the SNP.”

He said he had offered Kate Forbes a “significant role” in his cabinet, but hinted he did not yet know whether she would run for the leadership, sparking a run-off between them.

He said Forbes was an “intelligent, creative and thoughtful person who could contribute a lot to our national life.”

Although Sweeney’s upbeat demeanor suggested he felt very confident about becoming the party’s next leader, he did not respond to specific questions from the media about whether he had offered Forbes the post of deputy first minister, nor to a follow-up question about whether the election would be coronation – which would suggest he knows whether or not Forbes will run.

With speculation mounting that she will not stand, Forbes is expected to make a statement to the media about her decision after First Minister’s Questions on Thursday.

Mr Sweeney, 60, who joined the party at the age of 15 and has held many roles in several administrations, including as party leader, has already won the support of a number of senior cabinet members and SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn.

Sturgeon’s deputy for almost nine years, Sweeney is regarded as the party’s best “safe pair of hands”, known for his quiet charm as much as his toughness.

On Wednesday, a spokeswoman for Forbes, a former Treasury secretary, confirmed that an “informal meeting” took place between her and Sweeney on Tuesday, fueling speculation that Sweeney will present herself as a unity candidate while also offering her a senior role in his administration .

If Forbes, 34, who narrowly lost out to Yousaf in last year’s leadership contest to replace Sturgeon, decides to stand against him, a vote will be held among SNP members.

On Wednesday night, the SNP set the timetable for electing a new leader. Nominations close on Monday at midday and – if there is more than one candidate – voting by party members will begin on May 13 and end on May 27.

Sweeney served briefly as SNP leader from 2000taking over after Alex Salmond unexpectedly quit, but resigned in 2004 after a poor result in the European elections.

Yusuf’s position became untenable after he unilaterally ended the governing partnership with the Scottish Greens, sparking a backlash that left him without enough cross-party support to win a vote of confidence in his leadership.

He said on Monday he would stay on as First Minister until a new SNP leader was elected.