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Glasgow Live
Glasgow Live
National
Laura Ferguson

Glasgow MSP Humza Yousaf is voted in as new SNP leader

Glasgow MSP Humza Yousaf has been announced as the new leader of the SNP at a vote today at Murrayfield in Edinburgh.

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf, Finance Secretary Kate Forbes and former community safety minister Ash Regan have taken part in about 16 hustings as they vied for the top job.

Nicola Sturgeon announced in February that she would resign as First Minister after more than eight years in the job once her successor had been chosen.

Yousaf is set to become Scotland's youngest first minister and also the first ever person from a minority ethnic background to hold the post after he was elected SNP leader.

After a sometimes fiery and divisive leadership contest, SNP members chose Mr Yousaf, 37, as their party's new leader, succeeding Nicola Sturgeon.

The current Scottish Health Secretary will be declared Scotland's sixth first minister after a vote in the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday.

SNP members had until noon on Monday to cast their ballots. The fate of the three candidates was revealed at about 2pm at the BT Murrayfield stadium in Edinburgh.

READ MORE: SNP leadership election LIVE as Nicola Sturgeon's replacement to be announced

A vote in Holyrood will follow in the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday to select the next first minister.

It has not been a smooth leadership contest for the party, with acrimonious clashes between candidates and the dramatic resignation of chief executive Peter Murrell following controversy over the transparency of SNP membership numbers.

Frontrunners Mr Yousaf, 37, and Ms Forbes, 32, clashed over their record in government and their social views.

Polls on Monday put the candidates almost neck and neck, with Mr Yousaf favourite among SNP voters, according to an Ipsos Scotland survey of 1,023 Scots, with a net favourability of 11%, compared with 6% for his rival, Ms Forbes.

But the Finance Secretary is viewed more favourably by the general public, with a net popularity rating of minus 8%, compared with the Health Secretary's minus 20%.

Ms Regan, was widely considered an outsider for the job, had a net favourability of minus 24% among the general public, and minus 7% with SNP voters.

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