Three MSPs in the race to become the next First Minister and six ruled out

Monday was a packed day in the race to become the next leader of the SNP and the next First Minister.

First, the bookies’ favourite Angus Robertson ruled himself out due to family commitments and then not long afterwards Kate Forbes confirmed what many suspected already that she would run.

That announcement came at almost exactly the same time as another candidate, health secretary Humza Yousaf, was in Clydebank launching his own bid to lead the party and the country.

Earlier, Ash Regan – who resigned as a minister because she could not back the government’s gender recognition reform proposals – confirmed on Sunday that she would also stand.

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So for the moment there are three candidates who must get 100 nominations by Friday to go through to a vote which is due to declare the winners on March 27 after the votes of as many as 104,000 SNP members are counted.

Others who were touted to run but refused include deputy First Minister John Swinney; SNP deputy leader and justice secretary Keith Brown; Mairi McAllan the environment minister; Neil Gray, the international development minister; Edinburgh West MP Joanna Cherry; and SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn.

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