Nicola Sturgeon elected as leader of Scottish National Party

Nicola Sturgeon has today been elected without a challenger as leader of the Scottish National Party, just days before she will take over in Edinburgh as Scottish First Minister.

Speaking just after her election was announced, Ms Sturgeon said she believed in Scottish independence as much, if not more than she has ever done in her life.

However, the immediate priority is to deliver competent, energetic and confident government in Holyrood, along with preparing for next May’s Westminster general elections.

"I want strong numbers of SNP MPs in Westminster. When the SNP is strong, Scotland is strong: our voice will be heard, our interests will be protected," she declared, to a standing ovation.

Opinion polls forecast major gains for the SNP over Labour next May, which could threaten Ed Miliband's hopes of being able to form a government in the House of Commons.

However, the SNP is now clearly pitching to voters that it, and not Labour is the party that will hold Westminster to its pre-referendum pledge to offer more self-government to Scots.

Saying that she believes as strongly today in an independent Scotland as she has ever done, Ms Sturgeon said: “That will only happen when the majority vote for it in a referendum.”

The task remains as it has always been, she said, “to persuade, respectfully and intelligently” those who disagree with Scottish independence “rather than to break them”.

Dundee MP, Stewart Hosie won the race for the party’s deputy leadership, even though there had been strong speculation that the SNP’s Transport Secretary in Scotland, Keith Brown would win.

His election as deputy leader creates the possibility for tensions amongst the SNP’s Commons contingent, particularly after Alex Salmond returns to the Commons after next May’s election.

Saying that his election was “an incredible honour”, Mr Hosie told party delegates gathered in Perth that the SNP’s main focus “must be to build a stronger economy which works for everyone in Scotland”.