Splits among SNP members over who should next lead the party have widened after last night's fiery leadership debate.
Several Nationalists were left furious after Kate Forbes launched a scathing attack on Humza Yousaf's record in government on live TV.
Ash Regan also used the debate to declare the SNP had "lost its way" and flatly rejected the party's long standing policy of achieving independence through a referendum.
But the STV debate will most likely be remembered for Forbes attacking her Cabinet colleague Yousaf.
She said: "When you were transport minister the trains were never on time. When you were justice minister, the police were strained to breaking point.
"And now as health minister, we've got record high waiting times. What makes you think you can do a better job as First Minister?"
Reacting to Forbes, Mhairi Hunter, a former SNP councillor who runs Nicola Sturgeon's constituency office, said: "What the actual f*** is a serving Cabinet Secretary doing using opposition hit lines against a colleague? I did not have this on my bingo card I must say."
Summing up the debate, veteran SNP MP Pete Wishart said: "What a thoroughly dispiriting encounter this was. The whole party deserves so much better than this."
Another SNP MP told the Record: "Humza was the clear winner. He stayed positive and rose above the nasty attacks on him.
"It was very odd to see two other MSPs appear to set out to trash the record of the Government that got them elected, even using lines from our opponents.
"It was very disrespectful to colleagues and activists who've pounded the streets to get us there."
SNP MSP Emma Roddick said: "Proud of the progressive record of the SNP under Nicola Sturgeon.
"It’s why we’re all here and as close as we are to independence. Was utterly bizarre to watch an SNP MSP defend SNP policy on national TV against a fellow member of Cabinet. Wouldn’t have believed it a month ago."
Toni Giugliano, the SNP's policy development convener, said: "Disagree on policy or strategy by all means - but to undermine your own government, almost pretending you had nothing to do with it, is disgraceful and dishonest.
"Really poor advice and campaign management. They’re about to find out how massively this has backfired."
Laura Mitchell, an SNP campaigner who works for MSP Richard Lochhead, said: "Position yourself as the change candidate. Fine. No problem.
"But to attack party colleagues and the record of your own government - a record that got you elected - is a disgrace. It is not how we do things in the SNP and I’ll not support a candidate that takes such an approach."
Alex Neil, a former Scottish Government minister, accused those of backing Yousaf as being like "turkeys voting for Christmas".
He said: "Those SNP MPs and MSPs supporting Humza obviously don’t read opinion polls.
"They all have the same message. If Humza wins the leadership, the SNP will lose the next elections, leaving many of these parliamentarians without a job. Are they like turkeys voting for Christmas?"
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