John Swinney backs Humza Yousaf in SNP leadership race

Deputy First Minister John Swinney has backed Humza Yousaf successful the contention to regenerate Nicola Sturgeon arsenic SNP person and archetypal minister.

Mr Swinney is the astir high-profile fig successful the enactment to endorse the Scottish wellness secretary.

But Kate Forbes' run manager said the announcement suggested the SNP hierarchy were "absolutely panicking".

Mr Yousaf is lasting against the concern caput and ex-community information curate Ash Regan.

SNP members volition commencement voting for the caller person connected Monday, with the victor to beryllium announced connected 27 March.

Nicola Sturgeon has antecedently said she would not beryllium publically backing immoderate of the 3 candidates.

Last period John Swinney questioned whether it would beryllium due for someone with Ms Forbes' views to beryllium SNP leader.

He spoke retired aft the concern secretary, who is simply a subordinate of the Free Church of Scotland, made wide she would not person voted for cheery marriage if she had been an MSP successful 2014.

In a connection released connected Saturday nighttime helium said: "Humza is champion placed to pb our enactment due to the fact that helium volition fortify the SNP arsenic a unit for progressive alteration successful Scottish politics.

"Humza volition govern efficaciously by utilizing the concern that we bask with the Scottish Green Party - guaranteeing america a pro-independence bulk successful the Scottish parliament.

"And crucially, Humza volition widen our enactment successful attracting caller supporters to Scottish Independence."

Mr Swinney, who volition stand down arsenic lawman archetypal minister aboriginal this month, said Mr Yousaf was the campaigner who would "complete our travel to independence" and praised his way grounds successful power.

The Perthshire North MSP added: "Humza is an experienced curate who's done each the pugnacious worldly that you person to bash time successful time retired wrong government.

"He's enactment his bosom and psyche into each the enactment he's done wrong the enactment to marque the SNP an inclusive governmental party."

Mr Yousaf said helium was honoured to person the backing of a "true elephantine of the SNP and independency movement".

He added: "Like Nicola, our enactment owes truthful overmuch of our occurrence to John's stewardship.

"John's backing is simply a monolithic boost to my progressive grassroots run to basal up for Scottish democracy, support and beforehand rights, unite our Yes question and unafraid independency for Scotland."

It's the endorsement each campaigner wanted, abbreviated of that of Nicola Sturgeon herself.

Many waited to spot what John Swinney was going to bash earlier deciding connected their ain enactment campaigns, specified is his popularity wrong the SNP.

So this is simply a coup for Humza Yousaf - and an summation to the big of high-profile backers helium has already got successful the bag.

It does underline his presumption arsenic the "continuity candidate", fixed overmuch of the contiguous authorities is present backing him.

And portion Mr Yousaf insists helium is precise overmuch his ain man, helium has embraced the thought that continuing the electoral occurrence the enactment has enjoyed would beryllium nary atrocious thing.

There is simply a flimsy information for him successful appearing excessively overmuch of an constitution figure, successful a question with a distinctly anti-establishment ethos.

But helium volition beryllium hoping that the backing of influential members similar Mr Swinney volition trickle down to the grassroots and assistance to present victory.

Following Mr Swinney's announcement Ms Forbes' run manager questioned the timing of the move.

Falkirk East MSP Michelle Thomson said: "When the existent lawman archetypal curate decides to personally intervene successful the enactment contention astatine specified a precocious stage, you get the consciousness that elder figures successful the enactment person seen the polls and are perfectly panicking.

"Given however adjacent we are to the ballot opening, galore enactment members volition look upon this 11th hr involution alternatively cynically. They don't request to beryllium told by enactment HQ what to deliberation oregon however to vote."

Ms Thomson said it appeared the SNP hierarchy would similar "an constitution transportation of power" alternatively than allowing its members the state to marque "a steadfast antiauthoritarian choice".

BBC Scotland has asked Ms Regan's run for a effect to Mr Swinney's statement.

Veteran SNP MSPs Annabelle Ewing and Christine Grahame are among those to person announced they volition beryllium voting for Ms Forbes.

One of the party's champion known MPs, Joanna Cherry KC, has fixed her enactment to Ms Regan.

The 3 enactment candidates volition instrumentality portion successful an hour-long Debate Night programme from Edinburgh astatine 20:00 connected Tuesday 14 March connected BBC One Scotland.