SNP leadership race: Humza Yousaf and Ash Regan announce bids to succeed Nicola Sturgeon
The Scottish health secretary Humza Yousaf and former minister Ash Regan have announced their bids to stand to succeed Nicola Sturgeon as leader of the SNP.
The pair made their announcements in the Sunday Mail newspaper, with Mr Yousaf describing the time since Ms Sturgeon announced her resignation as a “rollercoaster of emotions”.
They are the first candidates to officially declare their intention to stand.
Mr Yousaf said: “You’ve got to put yourself forward if you think you’re the best person for the job. And I do. This is the top job in the country, and it needs somebody who has experience.”
Humza Yousaf
The Glasgow Pollok MSP has been viewed as a potential successor to Ms Sturgeon since he first entered Holyrood in 2011.
He has been a perennial frontbencher in every SNP administration since, but has become mired with controversy in recent years surrounding the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Bill – which faced criticisms over its impact on freedom of expression – and his stewardship of the NHS, which faced the hardest winter in its history in recent months.
Announcing her bid, Ms Regan said she believes she is the right person to “bring back unity, draw a line under certain things and move past them”.
Ash Regan
She referred to getting the NHS “back on its feet” following the COVID pandemic, boosting the economy, creating jobs and dealing with the cost of living crisis.
The former community safety minister has been referred to as a rebel SNP MSP after she resigned in protest against the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill, and has since become an outspoken critic of the legislation.
She has also called for SNP members who left in the past year to be given a vote in the leadership race – a move described as “preposterous” by deputy first minister John Swinney.
Read more:
The controversies which piled pressure on Nicola Sturgeon
Nicola Sturgeon’s time as Scotland’s first minister in 10 charts
Other potential candidates yet to announce their bids include finance secretary Kate Forbes, culture secretary Angus Robertson and Mairi McAllan.
Mr Swinney has ruled himself out to be next the leader, as did Stephen Flynn, the SNP’s Westminster leader.
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How the SNP will elect its new leader
SNP MP Angus MacNeil told Sky News that the party has a number of options to choose from following Ms Sturgeon’s surprise resignation.
“There are other capable people such as Jenny Gilruth or Ivan McKee, or I think Kate Forbes is going to put her hat into the ring as well,” he said.
“But one of the things that we do have is a depth of talent in the SNP.”
Candidates have until Friday 24 February to receive more than the threshold of 100 nominations from at least 20 local branches.
If more than one candidate passes that mark, an election will be triggered, culminating on 27 March.
Two women have died following reports of a stabbing in Milton Keynes on Christmas Day, police have said.
A dog injured in the incident in Bletchley also died after being taken to the vets.
A man and a teenage boy suffered serious injuries.
A 49-year-old man from Milton Keynes has been arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder and remains in custody.
Forensic officers at the scene. Pics: PA
Officers were called to a block of apartments in Santa Cruz Avenue just after 6.30pm on Christmas Day following reports of a stabbing.
The two women, aged 38 and 24, died at the scene, Thames Valley Police said. Their next of kin have been informed.
The injured man and teenage boy were taken to hospital and are both in a stable condition.
Police said the parties are known to each other.
Senior investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Stuart Brangwin said: “Firstly I would like to extend my deepest condolences to the families of the women who have tragically died in this shocking incident.
“We have launched a double murder investigation, which may be concerning to the wider public; however, we have made an arrest and are not looking for anyone else in connection with this incident and the parties are known to each other.”
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