Kate Forbes is first choice to replace Nicola Sturgeon among Scottish voters, new poll reveals

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Kate Forbes is the preferred candidate for the next SNP leader and Prime Minister among Scottish voters, according to a poll.

The research, conducted this week , put Ms. Forbes ahead of her rivals despite the early days of her campaign being rocked by criticism of her views on social issues.

As well as Ms. Forbes, the Secretary of Finance, the Secretary to Health Humza Yousaf and former minister Ash Regan are bidding to become the next SNP leader and prime minister.

In the Panelbase poll for the Sunday Times, 23% said they would like Ms Forbes is the next SNP leader, with 15% saying so for Mr Yousaf and 7% saying so for Ms Regan.

The 'don't know' response was 49% in response to this question.

A total of 1,026 voters in Scotland were polled between 21st and 24th February.

However, the contest will be decided p ar a vote by SNP members rather than by the voters as a whole.

Just hours after announcing her candidacy for the lead, Ms Forbes told the media that she would not have voted for equal marriage had she been in parliament at the time.

These statements, together with others relating to her religious views as a member of the Free Church of Scotland, led some of his earliest supporters to withdraw their support.

Among SNP voters, the Panelbase poll placed Ms Forbes leading in preference for Prime Minister at 20%, with Mr Yousaf at 18% . and Ms. Regan on 9%.

The poll also asked voters about the candidates' performance in their ministerial roles in terms of whether they were doing a good or bad job.

< p>M. Yousaf was on minus 16 in that regard.

Speaking to Sky's Sophy Ridge show, he said: "Any health secretary in the midst of a global pandemic is going to face the challenges we face here in Scotland.

"In fact, these long waits (in hospitals) are replicated in Tory-run England or Labor-run Wales.

“So these are common issues across the UK.”

He said the health service in Scotland avoided the strike because it had "reached out" and engaged with the unions, and that a compromise had been found.