https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/po...c52dc2f5a9
Hard to call TBH SCO. Kate Forbes has often been referred to as Nicola's natural successor. However, I wonder if she is mature and experienced enough (as well as being fully committed to the challenges ahead) to become Scotland's FM at this time. She is also on maternity leave and has a recently first born baby girl to take care of together with her husband. Angus Robertson is another possibility - an ex-leader of the SNP in Westminster who returned to Scottish politics winning the highly-contested Edinburgh Central constituency seat. Again, I'm not sure re his full credentials (he has noticeably aged in recent years) although he has vast political experience. I met him by pure chance about a year and a half ago at a Leith play park when I was with my GKs. He is an older parent with a young family and twin dogs to care of as well. I found out he is a fluent speaker in a number of Euro languages incl German. It's funny the things you discover re people you've never met before - a very intelligent guy btw, the same as Oxford-educated Forbes. I also perceive that the SNP Deputy Leader, Keith Brown, is a possible outsider who may come through the process of choosing a new leader. Possibly lacking that impressive profile that voters would like to see in a First Minister contest, but he is certainly a good communicator and rarely fazed by any antagonistic interviewer. Ian Blackford will be there or thereabouts as well. Note expressions of interest and the requisite candidacy support (20 x constituency branch backers) already communicated to the SNP membership today. So I think the SNP hierarchy will process this leadership contest to conclusion as quickly as possible. Who knows, there could be a favoured candidate already "waiting in the wings" much like what happened recently in Westminster with the advent of Stephen Flynn as the new SNP Westminster leader. All I can say is, "Choose wisely"! No doubt, some interesting weeks ahead.
Hard to call TBH SCO. Kate Forbes has often been referred to as Nicola's natural successor. However, I wonder if she is mature and experienced enough (as well as being fully committed to the challenges ahead) to become Scotland's FM at this time. She is also on maternity leave and has a recently first born baby girl to take care of together with her husband. Angus Robertson is another possibility - an ex-leader of the SNP in Westminster who returned to Scottish politics winning the highly-contested Edinburgh Central constituency seat. Again, I'm not sure re his full credentials (he has noticeably aged in recent years) although he has vast political experience. I met him by pure chance about a year and a half ago at a Leith play park when I was with my GKs. He is an older parent with a young family and twin dogs to care of as well. I found out he is a fluent speaker in a number of Euro languages incl German. It's funny the things you discover re people you've never met before - a very intelligent guy btw, the same as Oxford-educated Forbes. I also perceive that the SNP Deputy Leader, Keith Brown, is a possible outsider who may come through the process of choosing a new leader. Possibly lacking that impressive profile that voters would like to see in a First Minister contest, but he is certainly a good communicator and rarely fazed by any antagonistic interviewer. Ian Blackford will be there or thereabouts as well. Note expressions of interest and the requisite candidacy support (20 x constituency branch backers) already communicated to the SNP membership today. So I think the SNP hierarchy will process this leadership contest to conclusion as quickly as possible. Who knows, there could be a favoured candidate already "waiting in the wings" much like what happened recently in Westminster with the advent of Stephen Flynn as the new SNP Westminster leader. All I can say is, "Choose wisely"! No doubt, some interesting weeks ahead.