Ian Blackford to stand down as SNP leader at Westminster

Ian Blackford is to basal down arsenic person of the SNP radical astatine Westminster, it has been confirmed.

Mr Blackford said helium believed it was clip for "fresh leadership" aft 5 years successful the role.

He said helium would formally basal down astatine the party's yearly wide gathering adjacent week.

There has been speculation successful caller weeks that immoderate SNP MPs were plotting to regenerate Mr Blackford arsenic radical leader.

In a statement, helium said helium would proceed successful his relation arsenic the MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber and had besides accepted a caller relation astatine the centre of the SNP's independency campaign.

Mr Blackford said: "After much than 5 years successful the role, present is the close clip for caller enactment astatine Westminster arsenic we caput towards a wide predetermination and the adjacent steps successful winning Scotland's independence.

"During my clip arsenic leader, the SNP won a landslide triumph successful the 2019 wide election, with an accrued stock of the ballot and MPs, and enactment for independency has continued to turn with polling this week showing a bulk successful favour."

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