A NEW SNP president will be announced today after members finish voting for a raft of internal positions to the party’s ruling body.

Michael Russell – the favourite – is up against Craig Murray and Corri Wilson for the top post to succeed Ian Hudghton who has decided to stand down.

The role is honorary and traditionally one held by a senior long-serving politician.

The office bearer would be expected to work and support across all levels of the party including the leadership and grassroots.

The SNP’s constitution states that it is a role elected for distinguished service to the party and is not an executive post.

“The fact it’s not an executive role makes it attractive to me. I don’t think it should be used as an executive role,” Russell told the National last month.

The Constitutional Secretary stands down as an MSP before the 2021 Holyrood election.

Murray, a former British ambassador to Uzbekistan, is standing in a bid to open up the party to the grassroots and move forward on an early independence referendum.

“I think there is a feeling among a lot of people at the moment that party HQ is much too cosy, not open enough to the members, and that there needs to be some sort of check on them.

“So that’s why I decided to stand,” he told The National.

Other important internal roles on the party’s ruling body, the National Executive Committee (NEC), are also up for election in contests which have seen the SNP Common Weal Group put forward a list of 29 candidates.

Important positions being contested include the national secretary, policy development convener and members of the party’s conferences committee.

Standing for election as national secretary are David Henry, Morgwn Davies, Stewart Stevenson MSP, Lorna Finn and Kirsteen Currie.

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The policy development convener contest will see current post holder Alyn Smith challenged by Graeme McCormick and Chris Hanlon, both endorsed by the SNP CWG.

The elections will also see MPs Joanna Cherry, Alison Thewliss, Tommy Sheppard and Neale Hanvey as well as MSP Angela Constance stand for NEC membership.

Both Cherry and Hanvey are endorsed by the SNP CWG.

Delegates have been voting during the course of conference, held online due to the coronavirus pandemic, with the ballot closing at 3pm today.

The results of the contests are expected later this afternoon.

Each role does not need to be voted on at the same time.

The conference handbook explains: “Delegates can complete each part of the ballot separately and go back to the voting process later, provided that all sections the delegate wishes to complete are submitted by the close of voting.”

The contests take place after the current NEC controversially changed a rule requiring MPs to stand down from Westminster before standing for election to Holyrood.

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It was widely seen as a move to stop Cherry standing for the Tory held seat of Edinburgh Central where former deputy leader Angus Robertson was hoping to get selected for in order to return to frontline politics with a seat in Holyrood.

The SNP denied this was the case and that the move was to prevent a series of potential by-elections after a number of its MPs were eyeing a switch.

Meanwhile, the leader of Plaid Cymru has pledged to hold a “Celtic Summit” in the summer next year to cement ties between Scotland and Wales.

Adam Price said it was his dream to see the two nations come under one banner to map out their “common aims”.