William Power was a Scottish

Scotland

Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...

 journalist

Journalist

A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...

, and politician

Politician

A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...

. He was the leader of the Scottish National Party

Scottish National Party

The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom....

 (SNP) from 1940 to 1942.

Power was known as a journalist and was based in Glasgow

Glasgow

Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...

.

Power succeeded Andrew Dewar Gibb

Andrew Dewar Gibb

Andrew Dewar Gibb was a Scottish politician, barrister and professor....

 as leader of the Scottish National Party

Scottish National Party

The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom....

 (SNP) in 1940 after a shock by-election result in Argyll. Power came from nowhere to poll 37% (7,308 votes), coming second behind the Conservative Party

Conservative Party (UK)

The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...

. In 1942, Power was re-nominated by John MacCormick

John MacCormick

John MacDonald MacCormick was a lawyer and advocate of Home Rule in Scotland.-Early life:...

 for the post of Chairman of the SNP, but he was narrowly defeated by Douglas Young

Douglas Young (classicist)

Professor Douglas Young ; June 5, 1913 – October 23, 1973) was a Scottish poet, scholar, and translator. He was the leader of the Scottish National Party from 1942 to 1945.Young was born in Tayport, Fife...

. This led MacCormick to convene a meeting of his supporters, which established the Scottish Convention.