THE race is on for the role of the SNP’s policy development convener after a second candidate threw his hat into the ring publicly.

Toni Giugliano is challenging the incumbent Chris Hanlon for the post after Hanlon announced last week he hopes to stay on for a further term.

Hanlon was the surprise victor in the contest last year beating senior MP Alyn Smith in the contest after the activist received backing from the Common Weal group, a left-wing grouping inside the party.

Giugliano stood as the SNP parliamentary candidate for Dumbarton in the Holyrood election in May, but was defeated by Labour’s Jackie Baillie who has held the seat since 1999 as Tory voters in the area swung behind her amid a tactical voting surge.

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Pitching for the SNP policy role today he argued the party needs to be ready to publish research on key issues such as EU accession, the border and pensions to help build the case for independence and said these matters should not be left to the civil service. He also called for a commissioning budget for these pieces of work.

“The party should be in a position to commission extensive pieces of work in key areas of policy. It’s not enough to pass resolutions at conference – we need the research to back it up and explain to the public how it will be delivered,” he told The Sunday National.

He said the commission set up by the party to make sure social justice was an objective when independence was achieved “was a good start” – but more needed to be done so that activists could be confident “about our plan for pensions, the border, EU accession and currency”.

He said: “It’s not the job of the policy development convener to write party policy – but rather to facilitate its development. While some are obsessed with the timing of the referendum, I’m more concerned about our readiness and ability to win.”

He added that he believes he has the skills and influence to succeed in the role.

“We need someone who knows how to navigate the party machine and is not afraid to push hard for the change we need,” he said.

“As a candidate earlier this year, I secured the refurbishment of the Vale of Leven Hospital in the SNP manifesto, and professionally, a plethora of wins for mental health.

“Policy development is my bread and butter – I work with civil servants every day to turn policy into reality. Right now the Scottish Government is piloting a new suicide prevention service that I spearheaded and secured funding for. That’s the level of policy experience we need in this role.”

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Commenting on recent division within the SNP, he said: “The SNP is one of Europe’s leading progressive political parties. Our values matter. The messages we convey matter. If you can’t stand up for equality for all you’re in the wrong party. And if you don’t agree with party policy then come to conference and secure a debate rather than repeatedly sowing division on social media.

“I will always fight for inclusion and call out discrimination wherever I see it.”

And he added that the Yes movement needed to come together.

He said: “In 2014, I worked for Yes Scotland in the Communities Team – it was my job to help establish grassroots sectoral groups, like Generation Yes, Academics for Yes and many others. So the idea of working across the movement comes naturally to me.

"It’s why I recently spoke at a rally at Faslane – it’s time to put differences aside and come together with the same unity and determination we saw in 2014.”