Who is Ian Blackford? Former SNP Westminster leader to stand down at next election

Ian Blackford has announced that he will be standing down as an MP at the next general election.

Mr Blackford said on Tuesday that he had thought “long and hard” about whether he should stand again, adding that he was “privileged and humbled” that his constituents had put their trust in him “at three elections”.

In the Commons, Blackford has put questions to a number of opposition MPs in his role as Westminster leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) , including four prime ministers: Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak.

He stepped down from the role in December last year, saying he believed it was time for “fresh leadership” after five years. He was replaced by Stephen Flynn.

But who is Mr Blackford and what are some of the highlights of his political career to date?

Who is Ian Blackford?

Mr Blackford is a Scottish politician who served as Leader of the SNP in the House of Commons from 2017 to 2022. He has been the MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber since 2015.

He became the SNP Westminster leader after Angus Robertson lost his seat at the 2017 snap general election.

Through his weekly attendance at Prime Minister's Questions, Mr Blackford has established himself as a well-known figure in the House of Commons. He is also seen as a close ally of First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, the former leader of the SNP.

Born in Edinburgh, he was educated at its Royal High School and was employed as an investment banker.

He has subsequently been involved in a number of entrepreneurial endeavors. From 1999 to 2000, he served as the SNP’s national treasurer.

The controversies around Ian Blackford

Last year, the Daily Mail reported he faced calls to resign from political opponents after the newspaper obtained a recording of Mr Blackford urging fellow MPs to give “absolute full support” to SNP MP Patrick Grady, who was suspended for sexual misconduct.

He also denied rumours in March that he was considering resigning amid further reports of party infighting.

There have been rumors that some SNP lawmakers were not pleased with how he handled the situation, although Aberdeen South MP Stephen Flynn recently shot off rumors that he was “on manoeuvres” to take over as group leader.