Blackford denies being pushed out by SNP MPs

Ian Blackford has denied helium was pushed retired of his relation arsenic SNP Westminster leader.

He told BBC Scotland helium took the determination to spell but besides claimed helium would person been re-elected for the role.

A caller SNP person volition beryllium selected astatine the Westminster group's AGM connected Tuesday.

Only Alison Thewliss, the Glasgow Central MP, has been confirmed arsenic lasting truthful far.

However, determination has been wide speculation that Aberdeen South MP Stephen Flynn volition besides participate the contention to beryllium the adjacent radical leader.

Asked connected BBC Scotland's The Sunday Show if helium was pushed out, Mr Blackford said: "No I took the decision, I request to marque definite my talents are utilized successful the close mode to enactment the authorities and enactment the archetypal minister.

"I surely instrumentality the presumption that if I had stood astatine the AGM that I inactive would person been the SNP's Westminster person but I deliberation present is the close clip to let different radical to travel forward."

Mr Blackford, MP for for Ross, Skye and Lochaber, is taking connected a caller relation for the SNP promoting independency to Scotland's concern community.

Meanwhile, Ms Thewliss, the Glasgow Central SNP MP, said she was lasting arsenic she felt she had a "duty to measurement up".

She wrote on Twitter that she would beryllium a "clear opposition to the 2 men shouting astatine each [other] crossed the despatch container astatine PMQs connected a Wednesday, illustrating the alternate imaginativeness connected connection for Scotland".

On Friday Kirsten Oswald confirmed she would measurement down arsenic SNP Westminster lawman leader.

The East Renfrewshire MP tweeted that it "seems sensible to maine that a caller person and caller lawman prime up the baton and they'll person my enactment to bash that".

The caller Westminster person volition beryllium selected connected Tuesday by the 44 MPs who presently clasp the SNP whip.

It means the caller person volition beryllium successful spot to look Rishi Sunak astatine Prime Minister's Questions the adjacent day.

Meanwhile, SNP president Mike Russell and erstwhile furniture caput for the constitution has raised the imaginable of the SNP utilizing the adjacent Holyrood predetermination arsenic a "de facto referendum" connected independence.

This followed the Supreme Court ruling that the Scottish authorities does not person the powerfulness to clasp an existent referendum without the UK's government's consent.

But erstwhile asked by the BBC if the "de facto referendum" should beryllium for the adjacent Westminster oregon Holyrood election, Mr Russell said "we request to look astatine some of those options precise carefully".