Nicola Sturgeon denies SNP heading for civil war as leadership rivals attack each other

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Nicola Sturgeon has denied the SNP is heading for civil war despite the candidates vying to replace her attacking each other.The out-going First Minister was forced to endure another session at Holyrood today where opposition parties mocked her over the increasingly bitter leadership contest engulfing the party.Kate Forbes, the Finance Secretary, had earlier this week launched an astonishing attack on the record of her Cabinet colleague and leadership rival Humza Yousaf.Sturgeon insisted today she did not watch the STV debate which saw Forbes, Yousaf and Ash Regan trade blows over who should become the next First Minister.Speaking to reporters outside the Holyrood chamber, she was asked if the leadership contest was heading towards civil war.The First Minister responded: "Firstly, no, I don't think that, we're having a democratic election. "I appreciate, and this is not meant as a flippant comment, we've had a couple of deputy leadership election campaigns in the SNP in recent years, but it's almost 20 years since there's been a leadership election. "People are not used to it.

But it's a democratic election, and that's something to be embraced."It comes as Mhairi Black, the SNP's depute leader at Westminster, claimed Forbes' attack on Yousaf had been "damaging" to the party.Speaking on political podcast The Bunker, Black was asked if Forbes becoming SNP leader would split the party.She said: “Honestly I don’t know, to tell you the truth. "It’s very much a wait and see what happens.

I wouldn’t even want to risk that, that’s why I’m backing Humza. "I think he’s the best person to be able to band folk together again."The Record revealed yesterday how an SNP Cabinet Secretary has accused leadership hopeful Kate Forbes of