THE SNP have denied reports Ian Blackford is facing a leadership challenge - accusing Labour of circulating "mischief" and rumours.
The Times reports Aberdeen South MP Stephen Flynn is looking to defenestrate the sitting Westminster leader of the party.
But Flynn took to social media to deny the report, saying he had no intention of standing.
Sources told the paper that Flynn had the backing of enough MPs to win a potential leadership contest and demote the Ross, Skye and Lochaber MP.
Blackford has led the SNP down south since 2017 but could be forced out next month, The Times reports.
Flynn had reportedly tabled a motion for a leadership vote at next month's annual general meeting of the group.
An SNP source in the north-east said: "Ian Blackford and Stephen Flynn are both very well respected and capable politicians.
"It’s important internal democracy is allowed to take place without remarks of a 'coup' as Stephen Flynn has proven himself to be part of the new wave of fresh talent among the SNP’s ranks.
"Flynn would undoubtedly make an exceptional leader for the party in Westminster, particularly as someone who is from the north east and has proven himself to be of extraordinary talent, hardworking and focused on convincing people of the positive case of Scottish independence."
It will mark his appearance on BBC Question Time later tonight.
Flynn is reported to have been "on manoeuvres for some time", according to one anonymous MP quoted in The Times – with The National's sources backing this up.
There is reportedly disquiet within the SNP's Westminster group about Blackford's handling of the Patrick Grady scandal, in which MPs were encouraged to support the disgraced Glasgow North East MP who had been sanctioned by parliament for groping a junior staffer.
A leaked recording of a meeting of SNP MPs revealed Blackford had urged colleagues to rally around Grady - something for which he was later forced to apologise.
Grady - who is no longer in the SNP parliamentary group - was found by an independent investigation to have behaved inappropriately towards a member of staff at a party function in 2016 and suspended from Parliament for two days.
The victim was a teenager at the time.
