Scottish independence: Women will hold reins after Salmond

Alex Salmond. Photo / AP

A leading figure in the Scottish National Party said yesterday there was "no doubt" Scotland's Deputy First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, would be the party's next leader after Alex Salmond.

That would lead to an unprecedented position in Scottish politics, with all three of the main parties led by women.

Ruth Davidson is leader of the Scottish Tories (Conservatives) and Johann Lamont leader of Scottish Labour.

The former SNP leader Gordon Wilson said there would be an election only if Sturgeon herself objected to being simply "crowned" without a vote.

Widely seen as having conducted herself well during the campaign for independence, and as a less divisive figure than Salmond, Sturgeon said she could think of "no greater privilege" than to lead the SNP.

The Scottish Parliament has achieved Nordic levels of female representation - 35 per cent of its MSPs are women, although that has dropped slightly from 1999 when the first intake to the new Parliament saw women make up almost 40 per cent.