...but Tommy Sheppard's campaign is praised

Stand Comedy Club owner Tommy Sheppard has failed in his bid to become deputy leader of the SNP.

But the Edinburgh East MP, who was only elected to Westminster last year, came second in the race, polling just over a quarter of the votes.

Angus Robertson, former BBC journalist, who has represented Moray in the Commons since 2001, won with an overwhelming 52.5 per cent of the vote.

A long-term part of the party’s top ranks, he was always the favourite for the job, formally called the ‘depute leader’. But he Scotsman’s political editor Tom Peterkin gave a ringing endorsement of Sheppard’s campaign and ideas today.

Sheppard received 25.5 per cent; Alyn Smith received 18.6 per cent and Chris McEleny 3.3 per cent.

He tweeted: ‘Warmest congrats to @AngusRobertson on his election to depute leader of @theSNP - and huge thanks for everyone who voted for me.’

The results were unveiled at the SNP conference in Glasgow today, where the prospect of a second independence referendum was again raised in the wake of Theresa May’s determination that ‘Brexit means Brexit’. But 62 per cent of Scottish people voted to remain.

Sheppard, who was once a Labour councillor, is a director of Salt N Sauce Promotions which runs the Stand comedy clubs in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Newcastle and the Glasgow International Comedy Festival, as well as a number of smaller events. Other directors include Frankie Boyle, Miles Jupp and Fred MacAulay.

Published: 13 Oct 2016