CONTINUITY candidate John Swinney appeared odds-on favourite to succeed departing Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf today.

As the Scottish National Party reeled from the fallout of Mr Yousaf’s abrupt termination of its governing coalition with the Scottish Greens, former leader Mr Sweeney seemed poised to take the helm once more.

However, neither he nor anyone else had officially confirmed their candidacy for the post.

Mr Swinney, who also served for more than eight years as deputy first minister under Nicola Sturgeon, confirmed he was giving “very careful consideration” to running after receiving “many, many messages” of support from leading figures in the party.

Former finance secretary Kate Forbes, runner-up to Mr Yousaf in last year’s leadership vote, also said she was mulling over her options.

Ms Forbes is seen as further to the right in the party, and her socially conservative religious views caused controversy in the last leadership race.

“I know there is a groundswell of support for me among the members. That was quite clear in the last contest,” she said today. 

Among those backing Mr Swinney to succeed today were the SNP’s Westminster leader Stephen Flynn and education secretary Jenny Gilruth, who had been topped as a possible contender herself.

And long-serving SNP MP Pete Wishart described Mr Swinney as being the “runaway favourite” and a “great unifier.”  Nominations for the post will close next Monday.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar confirmed that the party would maintain its motion of no confidence in the SNP administration, and warned that neither Mr Swinney nor Ms Forbes represented real change.

Mr Swinney certainly is a familiar figure, associated with every turbulent phase of the SNP’s course over many years.  Whoever succeeds to the office will face the challenges of a non-existent majority in the Scottish Parliament, a resurgent Labour at the general election and a continuing police investigation into the party’s finances which has already led to the charging of the former chief executive, also husband of Ms Sturgeon, with embezzlement.

The motion of no confidence is to be debated tomorrow but is not expected to pass. The Tories withdrew a separate and now redundant motion of no confidence in the departing Mr Yousaf personally.