• Kate Forbes will take Nicola Sturgeon’s place as leader of the SNP.
• Promising competent leadership to deliver independence.
• Ash Regan and health secretary Humza Yousaf have already declared their intentions to run.

Following Nicola Sturgeon’s resignation last week, finance secretary Kate Forbes declared she will take Nicola Sturgeon’s place as leader of the SNP.

In order to compete in the election to succeed Ms. Sturgeon as first minister, Ms. Forbes will return from maternity leave early.

Former minister Ash Regan and health secretary Humza Yousaf have already declared their intentions to run.

The party’s secretary of the constitution, Angus Robertson, has disqualified himself from consideration for the position.

He tweeted: “As the father of two very young children the time is not right for me and my family to take on such a huge commitment.”

Ms Forbes – the MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch – promised a “competent leadership to deliver independence” at the heart of her pitch.

She committed to run on a platform of capable leadership in order to bring about independence, saying that it was time to “unleash the entire talent of the SNP, the larger Yes campaign, and the country at large.”

“The nation and the Yes movement are at a major crossroads,” Forbes said: “The choices we make in the next few weeks will have a profound impact on our future and our children’s future.

“I cannot sit back and watch our nation thwarted on the road to self-determination. Our small, independent neighbours enjoy wealthier, fairer, and greener societies – and so can we.”

She added: “We need somebody who voters can trust, who has integrity and commitment. I am that leader – and I want to lead the party into better days.”

The 32-year-old is anticipated to make arrangements for her leadership run in the upcoming days. She was on maternity leave after giving birth to her daughter Naomi in August.

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