Sky’s SNP leadership debate came at a pivotal moment in the contest to succeed Nicola Sturgeon.
Ballots opened hours earlier and with most party members expected to vote early Kate Forbes, Humza Yousaf and Ash Regan had an opportunity to deliver a knock out.
But unlike the bare knuckle brawl on STV last week, the latest three-way sparring was more subtle and left no one sprawled on the ropes.
Yousaf has hugged Nicola Sturgeon's legacy close during the race and his repeated references to his “progressive” agenda were a dig at Forbes, who is a social conservative.
Forbes, who declined to launch another brutal attack on Yousaf’s record in government, cited favourable polling which shows she is most trusted by voters at large.
Regan, the most fundamentalist candidate on independence, got an excruciating grilling from host Beth Rigby on her bizarre policy of moving towards a new currency within months of Scotland leaving the UK.
However, the debate showed that Regan, who has little hope of coming first, is fast emerging as the contest’s most influential figure.
Under the SNP’s voting system, neither Yousaf or Forbes is expected to win after the first round of voting and may need Regan’s transfers when she is eliminated.
Whoever hoovers up her supporters is likely to win and this realisation was evident during the debate.
Forbes was noticeably soft on Regan during her cross-examination, even after the Rigby savaging.
Yousaf’s claim that independence would be his “top priority”, even though he has been cautious during the campaign, was a coded message to Regan supporters.
Despite a bruising and humiliating evening, Regan is in line to be the unlikely king or queenmaker.
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