? Update: Kate Forbes has dropped her strongest hint yet that she will stand again to be Scotland’s first minister in a move that threatens to plunge the party into bitter infighting ??https://t.co/tbUqxRTjXe

— The Times and The Sunday Times Scotland (@timesscotland) April 30, 2024

NEW: Interesting polling from @Ipsos this evening:
SNP voters favour John Swinney as next FM
But general public prefer Kate Forbes – she has a six-point lead over him 26% to 20%
60% of SNP voters say decision to end BHA with the Greens was wrong – that falls to 45% of gen public

— @GinaDavidson (@ginadavidsonlbc) April 30, 2024

Full details here: https://t.co/NLgRrqaWoN

— @GinaDavidson (@ginadavidsonlbc) April 30, 2024

What was expected to be a coronation for John Swinney might become as messy as Edward V’s anticipated coronation with Kate Forbes thinking about standing in this election.

As the Ipsos poll shows it Swinney does well with SNP supporters but Forbes does well with the wider public so my hunch is that Swinney will do better with SNP members than Forbes.

What should give great succour to supporters of the SNP is that the same Ipsos poll shows ‘Anas Sarwar is not quite as well rated by the public as a potential FM vs. either Swinney or Forbes.’ If it is one of Forbes or Swinney who wins then talk of Ajockalypse Now for the SNP might be hasty.

So I am currently not looking to get involved in this betting market at the moment other than my opening gamble on Neil Gray.

TSE