MUCH media reporting and speculation has surrounded the news that Chris Hanlon, the SNP’s former policy convener, could force Humza Yousaf to fight a leadership contest for control of the party.
While he stressed that no firm decisions have been made, on Sunday Hanlon posted an image of a SNP leadership nomination form and hinted that Yousaf should be challenged.
“The job of party leader is to implement party policy, all of party policy, and nothing but party policy,” he wrote. “Party policy is decided by conference.
*Petition for SNP Members*#MembersMakePolicy The job of Party Leader is to implement party policy, all of party policy, and nothing but party policy. Party Policy is decided by Conference. If, like me, you are concerned that leadership spends too much time pontificating... pic.twitter.com/4YJNEDfjNn
— Chris Hanlon SNP (@SovereignWill) July 23, 2023
“If, like me, you are concerned that leadership spends too much time pontificating about what they claim party policy is rather than waiting for members to decide or telling journalists that the decision hasn't been made yet and that questions about the specific details of the Independence Election will have to wait till Conference, I'd like to hear from you.
“I haven't made any decisions but if you feel, as I do, that feet need to be held to the fire, please comment below.
“@HumzaYousaf promised to listen, I think we should make it clear that his position is conditional on living up to that promise.”
How could Chris Hanlon challenge Humza Yousaf as SNP leader?
Could Hanlon – who does not hold any elected political position as a councillor, MP, or MSP – really challenge Yousaf in an SNP leadership battle?
The answer, it seems, is yes.
According to the SNP’s constitution, both the party’s leader and depute leader (currently Keith Brown) must be re-elected annually. This rule would normally pass without notice, as no challengers come forward and so no vote is held.
However, if a challenger with sufficient backing – 100 nominations from 20 different branches – comes forward, they would be able to force an annual leadership battle.
The party’s constitution states: “15.7. The following specific provisions shall apply to both the Leader and Depute Leader:
“(a) The Leader and Depute Leader shall be elected annually in a vote of all members of the Party conducted in accordance with the Leadership Election Rules.
“(b) A candidate for Leader or Depute Leader must have the nominations of at least a hundred members, who must be drawn from at least twenty Branches.
“(c) Subject to their agreement, the incumbent Leader and Depute Leader shall automatically be deemed nominated for re-election.
“(d) Where only one candidate is nominated for Leader or Depute Leader, it shall not be necessary to hold an election as required by 15.7(a).”
The requirement for 100 nominations from at least 20 branches is considered outdated within a party that has grown in size massively over recent decades. If he chose, Hanlon would likely be able to meet the threshold.
During the 2023 leadership contest between Yousaf, Kate Forbes, and Ash Regan, there was never any question of all three securing the 100 nominations due to the low bar it is seen to represent.
It is understood that the SNP’s ongoing governance review will look at whether this provision needs to be changed.
However, for now, the leader and deputy leader’s positions can be challenged annually, and it would seem to be this rule that Hanlon is looking to exploit.
Whether the party’s former policy convener, who ousted SNP MP Alyn Smith from the role in 2020 with the help of the Common Weal group, could muster up the support necessary to oust Yousaf is a completely different question altogether.
