Back to Scotland, where it’s set to be another turbulent day. The SNP continues its slow-motion implosion while leadership frontrunners Kate Forbes and John Swinney ponder about standing for the top job. To add insult to injury, Scottish Labour’s motion of no confidence in the Scottish government will be voted on this afternoon. As the nationalist psychodrama ensues, what exactly do Scots makes of it all?
The SNP establishment has hailed former deputy first minister Swinney as its candidate of choice, with Holyrood cabinet ministers and Westminster group leaders coming out to support the Nicola Sturgeon ally. Meanwhile Forbes – onetime rival to First Minister Humza Yousaf in last year’s rather, um, unedifying contest – remains unfazed in the face of the nationalist machinery getting to work on their ‘Anyone But Kate’ campaign.
Perhaps she’s right to drown out the noise: among the public, the 34-year-old Highlander has a six-point lead over Swinney, according to the latest polling from Ipsos,
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