Ian Blackford to stand down as SNP leader at Westminster

Ian Blackford is to stand down as leader of the SNP group at Westminster, it has been confirmed.

Mr Blackford said he believed it was time for "fresh leadership" after five years in the role.

He said he would formally stand down at the party's annual general meeting next week.

There has been speculation in recent weeks that some SNP MPs were plotting to replace Mr Blackford as group leader.

In a statement, he said he would continue in his role as the MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber and had also accepted a new role at the centre of the SNP's independence campaign.

Mr Blackford said: "After more than five years in the role, now is the right time for fresh leadership at Westminster as we head towards a general election and the next steps in winning Scotland's independence.

"During my time as leader, the SNP won a landslide victory in the 2019 general election, with an increased share of the vote and MPs, and support for independence has continued to grow with polling this week showing a majority in favour."

Mr Blackford has become as well-known figure in the House of Commons through his weekly appearance at Prime Minister's Questions.

He faced calls to resign from political opponents after Daily Mail reported in June that it had obtained a recording of Mr Blackford urging fellow MPs to give "absolute full support" to SNP MP Patrick Grady, who was suspended for sexual misconduct.

Mr Grady, a former SNP chief whip, was suspended from Parliament for two days over a sexual advance towards a colleague in 2016, and also suspended from the SNP's Westminster group for a week.

There have been reports that some SNP MPs were unhappy at Mr Blackford's handling of the case, with Aberdeen South MP Stephen Flynn recently dismissing reports that he was "on manoeuvres" with a view to replacing him as group leader.