SNP leadership candidates Humza Yousaf, Kate Forbes and Ash Regan clash in ... trends now
The three SNP leadership candidates clashed in a bad-tempered TV debate tonight as they took personal digs at each other in the contest to replace Nicola Sturgeon.
Humza Yousaf, Kate Forbes and Ash Regan traded a series of blows in what turned into an hour-long mauling of each other's positions on various issues.
Amid ugly exchanges on Scottish independence and gender identity reforms, Mr Yousaf was disparagingly branded the 'continuity candidate' and the 'no change candidate'.
He is widely viewed as the frontrunner in the race to succeed Ms Sturgeon as First Minister and has been backed by a number of SNP big hitters.
But Ms Forbes tonight tore into Mr Yousaf's ministerial record from his time as a transport minister, justice secretary and now as Scotland's Health Secretary.
He hit back at Ms Forbes - whose leadership campaign has faltered amid a series of carcrash TV grillings about her socially conservative views - by suggesting her election as party leader would see the SNP 'lurching to the right'.
Humza Yousaf, Kate Forbes and Ash Regan traded a series of blows in what turned into an hour-long mauling of each other's positions on various issues
The three SNP leadership candidates clashed over their plans for Scottish independence and gender identity reforms
Mr Yousaf also attacked both Ms Forbes and Ms Regan for failing to commit to challenging Westminster's block on the Scottish Government's controversial gender identity legislation.
Meanwhile, Ms Regan - the only leadership candidate not currently serving in the Scottish Cabinet - claimed the SNP had 'lost its way' and admitted there had been 'no progress' on independence in recent years.
Tonight's head-to-head was the first live televised debate in the SNP leadership contest and was hosted by STV at the broadcaster's headquarters in Glasgow.
Ms Regan claimed that an SNP majority at each election held in future would represent a 'democratic mandate' for Scottish independence.
In a swipe at Ms Sturgeon's record as First Minister, she said: 'There's been no progress on independence in the last few years, despite the worst UK governments of all time.
'We used to grow support for independence by governing wisely, and it worked.
'At every election going forward, we will make it crystal clear that a majority of votes for the SNP will be a democratic mandate for independence.'
Mr Yousaf, the Scottish Health Secretary, was disparagingly branded the 'continuity candidate' and the 'no change candidate'
It was suggested that Ms Forbes election as party leader would see the SNP 'lurching to the right'
Ms Regan claimed the SNP had 'lost its way' and admitted there had been 'no progress' on independence in recent years
Mr Yousaf pledged to grow support for Scottish independence 'to new heights'.
He also boasted he was the 'only candidate' ready to challenge Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's use of a Section 35 order to stop the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill from becoming law.
Mr Yousaf is a close ally of Ms Sturgeon and Ms Forbes, Scotland's Finance Secretary, took a dig at the pair when she insisted that 'more of the same' in the SNP 'is an acceptance of mediocrity'.
'It's time for change, continuity won't cut it – tonight, I offer a new start for Scotland,' she said, as she promised to lead a 'new generation'.
Humza Yousaf
The 37-year-old is the current Scottish Health Secretary and previously held the justice brief.
He has faced criticism over the NHS crisis in his current role, with rising treatment times and delayed discharges.
Kate Forbes
