SNP conference: Hosie elected SNP deputy leader

Stewart Hosie has been elected as the new deputy leader of the Scottish National Party.

Mr Hosie replaces Nicola Sturgeon, who has succeeded Alex Salmond as party leader.

The MP for Dundee East is currently the party's Treasury spokesman at Westminster.

The new leadership team was unveiled as the party's annual conference got under way in Perth. Mr Hosie beat MSPs Keith Brown and Angela Constance.

Mr Hosie received 55.5% of the votes in the second round of the contest, with Mr Brown on 44.4%. Ms Constance had been eliminated in the first round under the ballot's single transferable vote system.

A total of 34,934 votes were cast in the depute leadership election - a turnout of 55.7%. In the final round - after the redistribution of votes from Angela Constance - Mr Hosie secured 18,915 votes compared to 15,150 for Mr Brown.

The election was held after Alex Salmond announced he was stepping down as both SNP leader and Scottish first minister following the Scottish independence referendum on 18 September.

As Mr Hosie does not have a seat in the Scottish Parliament, he cannot be appointed deputy first minister. Ms Sturgeon is expected to appoint a deputy first minister when she is confirmed as Scotland's first minister next week.

Ms Sturgeon, who was confirmed as party leader moments after Mr Hosie was unveiled as her deputy, said he would be "outstanding" in the role and stressed that the other two candidates also had a "massive" part to play in the future of the SNP.

In his acceptance speech, Mr Hosie told the conference that next year's general election would be a chance to ensure Westminster politicians fulfilled their pre-referendum promise of more powers for Holyrood.

Stewart Hosie was elected SNP deputy leader at the party conference

Stewart Hosie and Nicola Sturgeon are congratulated at the SNP conference in Perth

He said: "Remember what it was they told the Scottish people, many of whom voted 'No' to get more powers: 'The closest thing to a federal state within one to two years'.

"Let's make sure they deliver that promise and let's do it by delivering a record number of SNP MPs next year. That's the raw power Westminster understands. That's what Scotland needs to deliver next year."

He also thanked Mr Brown and Ms Constance for what he described as the "most extraordinary campaign".

Mr Hosie added: "We've been running around the country for the past four weeks together, criss-crossing at random, the most ridiculous journeys. We know each other's speeches inside out and in that four weeks, not a cross word.

"The unity of purpose Keith and Angela and I have shown, and the unity of purpose the party has shown, turning up in extraordinary numbers in every part of Scotland, has been extraordinary."

In a dig at Scottish Labour, which is currently looking for a new leader in the wake of Johann Lamont's acrimonious departure, Mr Hosie added: "I do suspect that may contrast slightly with what we are about to see elsewhere.

"That is a party who want to unify because they think the referendum may have been damaging. Friends, the referendum was no more and no less than an act of self-determination.

"We didn't win, but we were close. That was not divisive, that was democracy".

Mr Hosie was elected to Westminster in 2005, when he won the Dundee East seat from Labour, and is currently the party's deputy leader and chief whip at Westminster. He also speaks for the party in the House of Commons on Finance and Treasury matters.

He has previously served as both the party's national secretary and organisation convener.

Mr Hosie is married to Shona Robison MSP, the Scottish Minister for Commonwealth Games, Sport, Equalities and Pensioners' Rights