Former SNP leader John Swinney is “heading for a coronation” after Kate Forbes, widely tipped to go up against him in the party’s latest leadership contest, announced she would not run. Meanwhile, England and Wales are holding local elections that may be defining for Rishi Sunak.
Thursday 2 May 2024 16:09, UK
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Downing Street has said it will “look into” voter ID rules after a serviceman was turned away from a polling station.
The serviceman was unable to use his veterans ID card, introduced at the start of the year, to vote.
Responding on X, veterans’ affairs minister Johnny Mercer said: “The legislation on acceptable forms of ID came out before the veterans ID cards started coming out in January this year.
“I will do all I can to change it before the next one.”
The prime minister’s spokesperson reiterated that this form of ID was introduced “very, very recently”.
“I think it’s something that we will want to look into,” the spokesperson said.
“There’s already a very wide range of acceptable documents – including a free voter authority certificate – which is accepted at all polling stations so anyone who is eligible to vote can continue to do so.”
However, the spokesperson said Downing Street had no concerns about voter ID more generally, adding: “We don’t want to see anyone turned away from polling stations, we want everyone to be able to vote.
“Experience from the last local elections was that 99.75% of people were able to cast their vote successfully.”
We have compiled a list of what counts as voter ID below:
By Faye Brown, political reporter
Pint-sized bottles of wine will be allowed on UK shelves from autumn under new post-Brexit trade rules – but doubts have been raised over their demand.
Business minister Kevin Hollinrake said seven changes to pre-packaged wine sizes are due to come into force on 19 September.
Announcing the date in the House of Commons, he said the measure will support the “thriving” UK wine sector by providing opportunities for “innovation and greater choice”.
But the SNP’s Patrick Grady said the government should admit there is “little to no demand or interest for this supposedly glorious Brexit benefit”.
Read more below:
As we’ve been reporting today, the race is on to find a new SNP leader and first minister of Scotland.
John Swinney is the first to announce his candidacy, and the woman tipped to run against him – Kate Forbes – has since said she won’t.
So, could we be heading for more of a coronation than a race?
And if so, who is the man that would be crowned first minister?
Our Scotland reporter Jenness Mitchell has more on Mr Swinney’s life and political career to date…
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has just given Sky News his take on today’s developments in the SNP leadership race.
As a reminder, former leader John Swinney has announced his candidacy and could-be rival Kate Forbes has said she won’t run after all.
Mr Sarwar said: “It’s clear there’s going to be a stitch-up and coronation for John Swinney.”
Swinney is ‘yesterday’s man’
Speaking to our Scotland correspondent Connor Gillies, he reflected on what former first minister Nicola Sturgeon said when Rishi Sunak took over from Liz Truss in Downing Street.
“She said the door of Downing Street was not a revolving door, that the office of prime minister was not the gift of one political party, that it would be a democratic outrage if it didn’t go back to the people to decide who should run the country,” he said.
“And she now sees the SNP hold Scotland to a lower standard than the UK and the Conservative Party.”
He described Mr Swinney as “yesterday’s man” who “doesn’t represent change” and described the SNP as being in “chaos”.
John Swinney, the man who looks set to become the next leader of the SNP, has admitted the party is going through a tough time.
He spoke to our Scotland correspondent Connor Gillies after announcing his leadership bid this morning.
You can watch it below:
Protesters in Peckham, south London, have blocked a coach due to take asylum seekers who have been housed in a local hotel to the Bibby Stockholm barge in Dorset.
Police have warned the demonstrators will be arrested if they do not leave the scene.
Home Secretary James Cleverly has addressed the incident on social media, saying: “Housing migrants in hotels costs the British taxpayer millions of pounds every day.
“We will not allow this small group of students, posing for social media, to deter us from doing what is right for the British public.”
Our correspondent Sadiya Chowdhury is at the scene, and says protesters have been chanting in solidarity with migrants and voicing opposition to the police.
It is something of a tradition to show pictures of dogs at polling stations on an election day.
Donkeys, not so much – until now.
Please enjoy this glum looking donkey waiting in a parking bay at a village hall polling station in the New Forest.
And in case you are wondering why dogs (and now donkeys) are such a feature of our election coverage today, it’s (partly) down to reporting restrictions.
On polling day, you won’t see any coverage about politics or policy concerning the parties involved.
Instead, you will see coverage of people voting, politicians casting their ballots and yes … lots of dogs at polling stations.
John Swinney is “heading for a coronation” as the next leader of the SNP after the decision by Kate Forbes not to run, says our Scotland correspondent Connor Gillies.
Ms Forbes was the main rival to Humza Yousaf in the last contest, amassing almost half of the vote.
With her choosing not to go up against former leader Mr Swinney, it’s “incredibly unlikely any other candidate will throw their hat in the ring”.
Connor describes it as a “major moment”, coming after backroom discussions throughout today at Holyrood.
As of last night, he says Ms Forbes hadn’t decided what to do – but she appears to have been swayed by Mr Swinney’s speech this morning.
“Sources close to her were concerned there would be disappointment at her not throwing her hat in the ring,” he says.
“But she says she is rallying behind a John Swinney premiership.”
If anyone did want to run against him, they would have until midday next Monday to enter the race.
But Connor says the race is now all but over already.
Kate Forbes has announced she will not join the race to replace Humza Yousaf as SNP leader and first minister.
There had been speculation the former Scottish finance secretary would join John Swinney, who threw his hat in the ring earlier today.
In a statement, Ms Forbes said: “Ultimately, I have concluded that the best way to deliver the urgent change Scotland needs is to join with John Swinney and advocate for that reform agenda within the Scottish government.
“It is now clear from this morning’s statement that in John Swinney we have someone who not only understands that need for reform, but has now committed to delivering it.
“I look forward to playing my role in making that happen.”
Posting on X, Ms Forbes added that she had spoken to Mr Swinney directly to “discuss the future of our party and our country”.
“What emerged was that we share a powerful common purpose for the country,” she said.
Confirming he was standing for first minister and SNP leader earlier today, Mr Swinney said. he wanted to “unite the SNP and unite Scotland for independence”.
He also said he would like to see Ms Forbes “play a significant part” in his team should he be appointed.
The leadership race comes after Mr Yousaf announced he was standing down as SNP leader and Scotland’s first minister earlier this week.
As we just reported, a statement from Kate Forbes on the race to succeed Humza Yousaf as Scotland’s first minister is expected shortly.
She lost out to Mr Yousaf in last year’s SNP leadership contest and has already told Sky News she is considering entering the race again in the wake of Mr Yousaf’s resignation.
The former finance secretary faced backlash during her campaign last year after admitting she would have voted against gay marriage in Scotland when it was made legal a decade ago.
The Free Church of Scotland member also told Sky News that having children out of marriage was “wrong” and something she would “seek to avoid”.
However, the MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch stressed that “in a free society you can do what you want”.
Ms Forbes had argued that “continuity won’t cut it”.
After losing to Mr Yousaf by 48% to 52%, she said: “If we are to continue to win elections, we need to continue to listen and maintain trust.”
Ms Forbes turned down the role of rural affairs minister, which at the time was seen as a demotion.
Although her views on social issues remain unpopular with some of her MSP colleagues, she was one of the few SNP ministers who did not delete her WhatsApp messages during the COVID pandemic.
Ms Forbes would face resistance from the Scottish Greens, who have previously ruled out working with her.
SNP colleague Fergus Ewing is backing Ms Forbes, saying she is “head and shoulders” above any other potential candidate.
Be the first to get Breaking News
Install the Sky News app for free
