Where the Scottish National party goes after the departure of Nicola Sturgeon matters not just to Scotland but to the whole of Britain. Ms Sturgeon has been an astonishingly successful politician. Under her guidance, the SNP has won eight elections since 2010 and stormed once impregnable Labour bastions. Yet Ms Sturgeon’s success concealed divisions within the party that have burst into view during the leadership race to replace her. If these are not bridged, then Scottish support for independence may fade from the mainstream and dramatically reshape British politics.
Two frontrunners – Kate Forbes and Humza Yousaf – are wooing the SNP’s membership. Without a clear path to independence, the party’s leading lights don’t seem to agree on much. Their recent clashes have taken place at a time when constitutional issues have been eclipsed by concerns about the economy and the cost of living. Despite this, at times, the contest appeared consumed by social, moral and ethical issues.
