STEPHEN Flynn has replaced Ian Blackford after he stepped down as leader of the SNP at Westminster.
Blackford confirmed he would not be re-standing for the position at the party's AGM this week after more than five years in the role.
After he vacated the post, Alison Thewliss and Stephen Flynn went up against each other to win the position. Flynn won on Tuesday after a majority of MPs backed him. Mhairi Black will serve as his deputy.
Stephen Flynn
Flynn was the favourite to take over from Blackford, despite denying claims last month that he had intentions to challenge the leader for the role.
Sources suggest that Flynn was manoeuvring “for some time” for a shot at the leadership role, particularly amid disquiet in the party over Blackford’s handling of the Patrick Grady scandal.
Elected to Aberdeen City Council in 2015 Flynn later served as the SNP group’s leader in the council.
In 2019 he took the Aberdeen South seat formerly held by Tory MP Ross Thomson, winning with a majority of 3982.
Since being elected he has served as the party’s spokesperson for business, energy and industrial strategy at Westminster.
Before becoming a councillor, Flynn worked as a political researcher for SNP MPs and MSPs.
Raised between Dundee and Brechin, he graduated from the University of Dundee before moving to Aberdeen more than 10 years ago.
However, he remains an avid supporter of Dundee United football club.
The MP also lists Bruce Springsteen and Billy Joel as his favourite musicians and The Sopranos as his favourite TV show.
The 34-year-old is significantly younger than Ian Blackford, who turned 61 in May.
During his time at Westminster the married father-of-two has backed Aberdeen’s campaign to be granted freeport status and has regularly spoken out on the future of the energy sector in the north-east.
He supported calls for a windfall tax to be levied on oil and gas companies, which recorded profits amid the energy crisis.
Earlier this year he questioned the UK Government’s decision not to allow King Charles to attend COP27 in Egypt.
Speaking on LBC radio he said: “What’s the point in being King if you can’t just do what you want to do?”
The MP was also applauded for denouncing the UK Government's Rwanda asylum seekers scheme after clashing with Tory MP Peter Bone on the BBC.
