Ian Blackford’s departure as Westminster leader has brought to an end a turbulent five years in charge of the SNP group.
Succeeding Angus Robertson in 2017 was one of the great comebacks in SNP history. Over 20 years ago Blackford was cast into political Siberia for launching an attack on the then party leader Alex Salmond. Political observers were astonished when he was elected to Westminster in 2015, later becoming leader.
But Blackford has had a difficult twelve months - wounds that are largely self-inflicted - and his resignation has not come as a shock. His handling of sexual harassment claims made against MP Patrick Grady by a young staffer was widely derided.
