Next Permanent SNP Leader Odds: John Swinney now 1/3 to replace Humza Yousaf as SNP leader after he resigns as First Minister!

John Swinney is now the betting favourite to replace Humza Yousaf as the next SNP Leader

Betting markets are now being offered on the next SNP Leader after Humza Yousaf stepped down as First Minister triggering the hunt for a successor to replace him.

Bookies have John Swinney as the betting favourite to replace Yousaf with the former Deputy First Minister reportedly reluctant to become the SNP's leader for the second time after he led the party in 2000-2004.

The latest odds say there's a 75.0% chance that Swinney takes over the role next with the betting market putting him clear at the top of the betting odds.

Yousaf has said that he will stay on as First Minister until the SNP decides on who his replacement will be with the party's former leader in Westminster Ian Blackford supporting Swinney earlier today.

“John is the man who has what it takes to lead us, I think," Blackford told the BBC.

Yousaf announced his resignation as First Minister in a press conference on Monday

Just a year after he took over as SNP Leader and First Minister, Humza Yousaf has resigned from his role saying that he "underestimated" the hurt he had caused the Scottish Greens last week.

Yousaf ended the SNP's power-sharing deal with the Greens and he was expected to have no confidence votes later this week but now he has chosen to step down instead.

Now the Scottish National Party has a busy time ahead of them in choosing a new leader with the wheels already starting to spin over trying to choose Yousaf's successor.

Kate Forbes is second favourite in the betting market after she lost last year’s leadership contest

Kate Forbes is the 4/1 second favourite to be voted as the next leader of the SNP after she was Yousaf's closest rival in the battle for the leadership last year.

34-year-old Forbes is based in the West Highlands and came close to being voted in as leader last year with Yousaf winning the battle by 52% to 48%.

Now though it may well be that she goes one step further and becomes the next SNP leader with runners expected to be known in the coming weeks.

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