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Daily Record
Daily Record
Politics
Chris McCall

SNP leadership candidates to face off in Channel 4 News debate as contest heats up

The candidates bidding to replace Nicola Sturgeon as SNP leader are set to go head-to-head again on another live TV debate.

Humza Yousaf, Kate Forbes and Ash Regan will face questions on a special edition of Channel 4 News tonight in Glasgow.

It will be the first event of the SNP leadership contest to be broadcast live across the UK.

It comes as the party deals with the fall-out of a stormy debate on STV earlier this week which saw Forbes, the Finance Secretary, attack the ministerial record of her Cabinet colleague Yousaf.

That led to a backlash from some Nationalists who viewed it as a direct condemnation of Sturgeon's time in office.

The 30-minute head-to-head will be presented by Krishnan Guru-Murthy from 7pm.

The format will involve set topics, with challenges between leaders allowed. There will be no opening statements or audience questions during the televised debate.

Guru-Murthy said: "The sudden resignation of Nicola Sturgeon has plunged Scottish politics into an unexpected twist with deep consequences for the whole United Kingdom.

"We look forward to testing the candidates for First Minister and debating their surprisingly different positions on issues from independence to human rights and the economy.”

Channel 4 News editor Esme Wren said: "Channel 4 News has an outstanding record of covering Scotland and Scottish politics in depth and this important debate builds on that great coverage.

"In April 2021 Channel 4 News hosted the first ever national television debate with all the party leaders in Scotland.

"This time one of the three SNP candidates will become First Minister automatically so it's vital that viewers across the whole of the UK get an insight into their politics and policies."

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