1990 Scottish National Party leadership election

← 1979 22 September 1990 2000 →

Candidate Alex Salmond Margaret Ewing Popular vote 486 186 Percentage 72.3% 27.7%

Leader before election Gordon Wilson Elected Leader Alex Salmond

There was a Scottish National Party leadership election to choose the new leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) in 1990. The election followed the announcement by SNP Leader Gordon Wilson, that he would not seek re-nomination as party leader.^[1]

Two candidates presented themselves for election. Alex Salmond, the party's depute leader and Member of Parliament for Banff and Buchan, and Margaret Ewing, MP for Moray, who had served as depute leader until 1987. Both candidates were seen as being on the left-wing of the party.^[1]

Jim Sillars, the party's other Westminster MP, supported Ewing.^[1] Although Ewing's official campaign remained positive, Silllars created an unofficial group of Ewing supporters who were highly critical of Salmond.^[2]

The result of the election was announced at the party conference, held in Perth on 22 September. Salmond won the election by 486 votes to 186, a larger-than-expected margin.^[2]