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Michelle Keegan and Mark Wright announce they’re expecting their first baby | Ents & Arts News

Actress Michelle Keegan is expecting her first baby with husband Mark Wright, the celebrity couple have announced.

Keegan and former The Only Way Is Essex star Wright, both 37, shared the news on their Instagram accounts with the caption “2025 is going to be a special one for us” followed by a baby emoji.

A picture on the social media site posted on Sunday shows the couple standing opposite each other on a beach as former Coronation Street actress Keegan holds her bump.

Keegan, also known for her roles in Sky comedy Brassic and Netflix’s Fool Me Once, is wearing a white off-the-shoulder top and skirt, while Wright is dressed in a beige shirt and trousers.

Coleen Rooney, comedian Joel Dommett, and Bridgerton actress Jessica Madsen were among those to congratulate the couple in comments on the post.

Radio host Wright, who appeared on ITV’s I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! and BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing, began dating Keegan in 2012.

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They got engaged the following year before getting married at St Mary’s Church in Bury St Edmunds in 2015.

The couple now live together in Essex.

Sir Keir Starmer to announce new green energy deal to protect from ‘whims of dictators like Putin’ | Politics News

The prime minister is visiting Norway to launch a new green energy deal before attending a defence summit in Estonia.

Sir Keir Starmer will travel to a carbon capture and storage site and meet his Norwegian counterpart Jonas Gahr Store to discuss the new Green Industrial Partnership.

Number 10 said both leaders intend to sign the deal in spring 2025.

Read more: Major shake-up of UK energy system could ‘lower bills for good’

Sir Keir said the energy partnership with Norway, which has a border with Russia, would help to boost growth and protect against spikes in international energy prices like those seen when President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

“It will harness the UK’s unique potential to become a world leader in carbon capture – from the North Sea to the coastal south – reigniting industrial heartlands and delivering on our plan for change,” he said.

“Our partnership with Norway will make the UK more energy secure, ensuring we are never again exposed to international energy price spikes and the whims of dictators like Putin.”

The announcement comes days after Labour signed the first carbon capture usage and storage (CCUS) contracts in the UK.

Read more: Labour has decided its colossal net zero plan is worth the risk

Carbon capture is seen by some as a way of tackling climate change, by removing carbon from the atmosphere and storing it away.

Its critics, however, argue it allows big polluters to carry on polluting and it is much more efficient to simply reduce emissions in the first place.

The first major commercial floating wind development in Europe, based off the northeast coast of Scotland, also announced new contracts to progress the project.

It is estimated the plant, which is a joint venture between Norwegian Vargronn and UK firm Flotation Energy, will deliver power to about one million homes when it starts operating in 2028.

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Mr Gahr Store said: “We need co-operation, knowledge and innovation to better equip us to face the future.

“The partnership with the UK will be important to facilitate more green jobs both in Norway and the UK, and for advancing the green transition.”

The prime minister’s whistlestop tour through Norway and Estonia will see him join leaders from the Netherlands, Latvia, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Finland and Lithuania in Tallinn to discuss security.

Meanwhile, back in the UK, foreign secretary David Lammy and defence secretary John Healey will meet their Australian counterparts in London to discuss shared security challenges.

They will discuss cooperation on issues including Ukraine, the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific.

Reading and Leeds festivals announce first headline acts | Ents & Arts News

Reading and Leeds festivals have announced their first headline acts, with a host of first-time headliners including Chappell Roan set to play next summer.

With a stellar year following the release of her debut album The Rise And Fall Of A Midwest Princess, it will be Roan’s first festival headline set.

Rapper Travis Scott, known for his high on-stage energy and larger-than-life production, is also debuting in his Reading and Leeds headline slot.

Scott’s appearance is being billed as a “European exclusive”.

With seven albums to their name, it’s Bring Me The Horizon’s first headline slot too, although they have previously played at the festival.

Band frontman Oli Sykes said: “We are going to bring hands down the greatest show of our careers.

“It’s going to be our only UK performance next year and the final European show of the NEX GEN campaign before the band take time away, so if you want to see BMTH next year, this truly is your only chance. Can’t wait.”

British rapper AJ Tracey performs on the main stage at Reading Festival, in Reading, Britain, August 27, 2021. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls
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British rapper AJ Tracey performs at Reading. Pic: Reuters

Following his UK number-one album, Unreal Unearth, and first number-one song, Too Sweet, Hozier will also top the bill.

First appearing at Reading and Leeds in 2014, his 2025 headline slot is a UK festival exclusive performance.

Other acts on the line-up include two-time Brit award winner Becky Hill, rapper AJ Tracey, Rudimental, pop group The Kooks and rock act Bloc Party.

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Sammy Virji, Enter Shikari, Trippie Redd, Conan Gray, Amyl and The Sniffers, Wunderhorse and Royel Otis are also set to play.

Actress and singer Suki Waterhouse is also on the bill, with more acts still to be announced.

Tickets go on pre-sale on 6 December, with the general sale following on 9 December.

Reading and Leeds festivals run across the August Bank Holiday weekend, from 21 to 24 August.

Oasis announce 2025 tour dates for five gigs in North America | Ents & Arts News

Oasis have announced five stadium shows across North America as part of their reunion tour next year.

The concerts add to the already planned UK and Ireland shows that will begin the band’s first tour since 2009 next year.

Posting the dates on social media and their website, Oasis said they will play:

• Rogers Stadium in Toronto, Canada, on 24 August
• Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois, in the US on 28 August
• MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on 31 August
• Rose Bowl Stadium in Los Angeles, California, on 6 September
• Estadio GNP Seguros in Mexico City, Mexico, on 12 September

Announcing the shows, the band said: “America. Oasis is coming. You have one last chance to prove that you loved us all along.”

Pre-sale tickets will be released on 3 October, while the general sale takes place on 4 October.

The band also said on their website they “strongly advise that those wishing to purchase tickets register in advance of the sale with Ticketmaster”.

In an official statement shortly after the North American tour was announced, Oasis said Ticketmaster’s dynamic pricing model – where prices vary based on demand – will not be used in the sale of tickets.

They said that while the model “remains a useful tool to combat ticket touting” and to keep prices for many fans “lower than the market rate,” they added that when “unprecedented ticket demand” is “combined with technology that cannot cope with that demand, it becomes less effective and can lead to an unacceptable experience for fans”.

“We have made this decision for the North America tour to hopefully avoid a repeat of the issues fans in the UK and Ireland experienced recently,” Oasis said.

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Fans have suffered various problems with ticket websites since Oasis announced their reunion, from being kicked out of the queue because they were labelled bots, to some ending up paying as much as £355 for tickets originally advertised for £148.

In the UK, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched an investigation into Ticketmaster, looking at how dynamic pricing may have been used, and whether the sale by Ticketmaster may have breached consumer protection law.

Ticketmaster maintains it does not set concert prices and its website says this is down to the “event organiser” who “has priced these tickets according to their market value”.

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The last time Oasis played in the US was on 20 December 2008, when they played the EagleBank Arena – then known as the Patriot Center – in Fairfax, Virginia.

Liam Gallagher also appeared to hint at a US tour earlier in the month, saying on X in response to a fan: “I love America and I know deep down you love ME.”

Superyacht sinks: Italian authorities expected to announce manslaughter investigation | World News

Prosecutors in Italy are reportedly planning to launch a manslaughter investigation after a luxury yacht sank, claiming seven lives.

Sky News understands this is standard procedure in complex cases, but more details are expected to be revealed at a news conference in Sicily this morning.

Among those killed were Hannah Lynch who became the last passenger to be recovered from Bayesian superyacht on Friday.

Tributes have been paid to the 18-year-old who was travelling on the boat with her father Mike Lynch, a British tech tycoon who also died, and mother Angela Bacares who survived the disaster.

Hannah Lynch
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Tributes have been paid to Hannah Lynch whose body was recovered from the superyacht.

Esme Lynch described her younger sister as “endlessly caring, passionately mad, unintentionally hilarious”.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Lynch family said they were “devastated… in shock… and being comforted and supported by family and friends”.

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Lynch family ‘devastated’ after superyacht sinking

The vessel had arrived off the coast of Sicily on Sunday, remaining at anchor 500m from the port of Porticello overnight.

The yacht sank at around 5am local time on Monday during a violent storm.

Fifteen passengers and crew members made it on to a life raft and were picked up by a nearby boat.

The bodies of the remaining seven people were recovered from the sunken vessel over several days, but that operation had been plagued with difficulties.

A rescue boat with rescue personnel on board resumes search operations for British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch's daughter Hannah Lynch, at the scene where a luxury yacht sank, off the coast of Porticello, near the Sicilian city of Palermo, Italy, August 23, 2024. REUTERS/Louiza Vradi
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Divers found the search operation off the coast of Sicily particularly challenging. Pic: Reuters

Vincenzo Zagarola, of the Italian coastguard, said the dives were not “easy or quick”, comparing the yacht to an “18-storey building full of water”.

Mr Zagarola previously said a decision on whether to raise the sunken boat from the seabed is “not on the agenda”, but will be in the future.

Conditions underwater were described as “complex”, and while the British-flagged superyacht was still largely intact 50m (164ft) below the surface, the depth is far deeper than most recreational divers are qualified to reach and requires special precautions.

Prosecutors, led by Ambrogio Cartosio, will provide an update on Saturday morning in the town of Termini Imerese near where the Bayesian superyacht went down.

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Investigations into what happened are already getting under way although there are already questions about the speed at which the Bayesian sank.

Dr Jean-Baptise Souppez, an expert in mechanical, biomedical and design engineering, told Sky News: “For a ship that size to go down in a matter of minutes is particularly puzzling.

“I think it’s important to remember that all these vessels are built to very strong rules and regulations. And one of the reasons this is so puzzling is because those rules should ensure that this doesn’t happen.”

Giovanni Costantino, CEO of The Italian Sea Group, owns a firm which makes and sells vessels like Mike Lynch’s superyacht.

He insists they “are absolutely safe“, suggesting human error could be a factor, although no official cause has been given for why the boat sank.

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Yacht sinking investigation ‘will take months’

But maritime investigator James Wilkes has warned against speculation.

He told Sky News: “It’s not uncommon to blame seafarers and the crew when a vessel has suffered a casualty of this magnitude.

“I don’t think it’s fair right now to jump to the conclusion that the crew must have done something wrong.”

Lib Dems announce free school meals plan funded by buyback tax | Politics News

The Liberal Democrats have announced plans for free school meals for all primary school children funded by a new share buyback tax.

In a policy announcement that could put pressure on Labour, the Lib Dems said the plan would begin with an immediate extension of free school meals to all 900,000 children living in poverty who currently miss out.

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The second phase would see all primary school children receiving free school meals as the public finances stabilise.

The pledge, to be included in the Lib Dem’s manifesto, would be funded by a 4% levy on the share buybacks of FTSE 100 listed corporations.

This is similar to the excise tax on buybacks implemented by President Biden in the US and could raise around £1.4bn a year, the party said.

A share buyback is when companies buy back their own shares from the market to increase their price – essentially so they can return excess cash to their shareholders

Critics have warned this can come at the expense of productive investment in the economy.

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey
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Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey

The Lib Dems said the practice has allowed the profits of oil and gas giants, banks and large corporations to soar during a cost of living crisis.

Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said: “Across the country, I hear heartbreaking stories of children going to school with empty packed lunch boxes as parents struggle to cover even the basic costs.

“Conservative MPs should hang their heads in shame at a legacy of children going hungry in the worst cost of living crisis in a generation.”

He added: “I am proud the Liberal Democrats have the most ambitious plan for free school meals of any party, which would save parents money and transform the future for millions of children.”

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan during a visit to Torridon Primary School in south east London, to announce the extension of free school meals in London's primary schools for the next academic year. Picture date: Tuesday January 9, 2024.
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Free school meals are already rolled out in London

The announcement could put pressure on Sir Keir Starmer to make a similar offering – given this is something many of his MPs want to see.

Free school meals are already rolled out in London and a promise to extend the scheme was at the centre of Sadiq Khan’s successful bid for a historic third term as the city’s Labour mayor.

Labour’s policy nationally is to ensure every primary school child in England has access to fully funded breakfast clubs, but not lunches.

However, a series of Labour MPs have called for the national rollout of free meals, something which was in the party’s manifesto in 2019.

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Under current rules, pupils in England get free school meals up to the end of Year 2 and then only if their families receive certain benefits. There have long been warnings from poverty campaigners that thousands of children in need are missing out.

In 2022, research by PWC found that every £1 spent on free school meals for the poorest children generates £1.38 in health and earnings benefits, including improvements to children’s health, education and future working life opportunities.

The analysis found that a free school meals scheme could inject up to £41.3bn into the economy over 20 years.

The Tories’ position is that free school meals should be targeted, going to those who most need it.

The government say that over a third of pupils in England now receive free school meals in education settings, compared with one in six in 2010.

Government announce Anglesey as preferred site of new nuclear power station | UK News

Wylfa in North Wales is the preferred site for a major new nuclear power development, the government has announced.

Ministers are beginning talks with international energy firms to explore building the UK’s third mega-nuclear power station at the Anglesey site, according to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ).

The department said the gigawatt nuclear power plant could provide enough clean power for six million homes for 60 years.

Britain has a target of generating a quarter of all electricity – around 24GW – from home-grown nuclear power by 2050.

The aim is part of the government’s plan to enhance energy security and deliver on net zero.

Currently, the UK generates about 15% of its electricity needs from nuclear capacity.

The Wylfa project could be similar in scale to Hinkley in Somerset and Sizewell in Suffolk, with hopes it would bring thousands of jobs and investment to the area.

Labour has accused the government of “dither and delay” on new nuclear at Wylfa, after Japanese giant Hitachi pulled out of a previous project there in 2019 because of rising costs.

Wylfa’s twin reactor Magnox nuclear power station, which went online in 1971, stopped generating power at the end of 2015 and has been decommissioned.

Energy Security Secretary Claire Coutinho said: “Anglesey has a proud nuclear history and it is only right that, once again, it can play a central role in boosting the UK’s energy security.

“Wylfa would not only bring clean, reliable power to millions of homes – it could create thousands of well-paid jobs and bring investment to the whole of North Wales.”

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‘High-tech’ nuclear power for UK

The UK is working to expand nuclear power through traditional large-scale plants as well as small modular reactors (SMRs), which supporters hope will be quicker and cheaper to construct.

Great British Nuclear aims to announce winning bidders in the tendering process to build SMRs by the end of this year.

But this is later than the spring timetable the government set last October for announcing the successful companies.

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Tom Greatrex, chief executive of the Nuclear Industry Association, said the government is “absolutely right” to pursue more large-scale nuclear alongside the SMR programme.

He said: “Wylfa is the best site in Europe for a big nuclear project: It has an existing grid connection, the hard bedrock ideal for a nuclear power station, superior cooling water access, and some work to clear the site for large-scale construction was already done by the previous developer.”

Labour’s shadow energy minister Alan Whitehead said: “We welcome the government finally moving forward with a nuclear project identified by the last Labour government.

“But this should be the bare minimum – and celebrating a tentative step forward in 2024 on a project that should have been moving in 2010 tells you everything about this tired, snail’s-pace government.”

Partygate: Police announce two investigations – but new Boris Johnson allegations not among them | UK News

Two investigations into partygate gatherings involving senior Tories have been announced by the Met Police.

One is a re-investigation into claims of a COVID rule-breaching party by staff of former Conservative London mayoral candidate, Shaun Bailey, in December 2020.

In a press release, the force said: “The Met is now re-opening an investigation into potential breaches of the regulations at an event in Matthew Parker Street on 14 December 2020.”

That date is the same day that footage was taken showing workers on Mr Bailey’s 2021 London mayoral campaign dancing and mingling while the capital was in Tier 2 of COVID restrictions.

The force added: “Following assessment of material relating to a gathering in Parliament, the Met is opening an investigation into potential breaches of the Regulations at an event on 8 December 2020.”

That event was a birthday party held for Baroness Jenkin – wife of senior Conservative MP Sir Bernard Jenkin – in Parliament on 8 December 2020.

Sir Bernard, who sits on the Commons Privileges Committee, which last month published a highly critical report about Boris Johnson, did not deny to reporters that he was in attendance at the event when the claims were first published by the Guido Fawkes website last month.

The Metropolitan Police and Thames Valley also said it had decided not to open an investigation into claims of rule-breaching parties at Downing Street and Chequers – the official country residence of British prime ministers – between June 2020 and May 2021.

These relate to 16 events “without any prior notice” and which were marked in Mr Johnson’s official diaries as prime minister.

The content of the diaries – which were requested by the COVID enquiry last month and are now the subject of a High Court battle – were referred to the police by the Cabinet Office.

Boris Johnson has been warned he could lose taxpayer funding for legal advice on the COVID inquiry

Scotland Yard said that “based on an assessment of that material and an account provided regarding the diary entries” it had concluded that the events “do not meet the retrospective criteria for opening an investigation”.

Responding to the Met Police’s announcement, a Conservative Party spokesperson said: “Senior CCHQ staff became aware of an unauthorised social gathering in the basement of Matthew Parker Street organised by the Bailey campaign on the evening of 14th December 2020.

“Formal disciplinary action was taken against the four CCHQ staff who were seconded to the Shaun Bailey campaign.”

Mr Bailey previously apologised “unreservedly” after a video was published by the Sunday Mirror of his staff partying in lockdown and that he was “very upset” to see the footage.

Mr Bailey – who was running to replace Sadiq Khan in the 2021 London mayoral contest – had previously been pictured at the event but was not seen in the most recent footage.

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Responding to the Met Police’s announcement, the Liberal Democrats called for Mr Bailey – who was nominated for a peerage in Mr Johnson’s resignation honours – to be prevented from taking up a seat in the House of Lords.

Rishi Sunak needs to confirm he will call for honours to be stripped from anyone found to have broken the law,” said Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Daisy Cooper.

“Anything less would make a complete mockery of his pledge to lead with integrity.

“He should also step in to stop Shaun Bailey from taking his seat as a peer while this investigation takes place.”

The Metropolitan Police previously issued 126 Fixed Penalty Notice (FPNs) referrals following a probe into claims of COVID rule breaching parties at Downing Street and Whitehall – an investigation named Operation Hillman.

Thousands of ambulance workers go on strike today – as junior doctors announce when they will stage walkout | UK News

Thousands of ambulance workers are going on strike today in their ongoing dispute over pay and staffing.

The strike will involve more than 11,000 members of the GMB union in England and Wales, along with some members of the Unite union.

It comes as the number of health workers taking industrial action continues to grow, with junior doctors set to go on strike next month.

Speaking on behalf of ambulance workers, GMB national secretary Rachel Harrison said they will walk out “because this government is tin-eared”.

“It has been over a month since the government engaged in any meaningful dialogue,” she said.

“They are missing in action and refuse to talk pay.”

She added: “Solving the issue of pay is vital if we’re going to stem the tide of dedicated healthcare workers leaving the profession.”

GMB members

Junior doctors in the Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association (HCSA) have said they will strike in England on Wednesday 15 March.

Some 97.48% of members voted in favour of what will be the first strike in the union’s history.

HCSA president Dr Naru Narayanan said: “Junior doctors have held together patient care amid a spiralling staffing crisis.

“In return for this huge emotional, mental and physical toll they’ve been subjected to a decade of real-terms pay cuts totalling over 26%. Enough is enough.”

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Around 45,000 junior doctors who are members of the British Medical Association (BMA) have also been balloted on strike action – with the result due at the end of February.

The BMA has warned it will stage a three-day strike if there is a “yes” vote.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: “As part of a multi-year deal we agreed with the BMA, junior doctors’ pay has increased by a cumulative 8.2% since 2019/20.

“We also introduced a higher pay band for the most experienced staff and increased rates for night shifts.”

Steve Barclay  leaves after attending a cabinet meeting in Downing Street
Pic:AP
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Steve Barclay said ‘it is time unions engaged constructively’. Pic: AP

Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said: “Strikes are in nobody’s best interests and only cause further disruption for patients, despite contingency measures in place.

“It is time unions engaged constructively with the pay review body process for 2023/24 and cancelled strikes so we can move forward and continue tackling the COVID-19 backlog.

“I’ve been clear throughout that I remain keen to keep talking to unions about what is fair and affordable for the coming financial year, as well as wider concerns around conditions and workload so we can make the NHS a better place to work.”

Nurses will continue their action with a 48-hour strike starting on 1 March, with the Royal College of Nursing saying it has received £250,000 in public donations since starting its campaign in December.

RCN general secretary Pat Cullen said: “There isn’t a person in this country whose life hasn’t been impacted by a nurse and that’s why the public are with us every step of the way.”

SNP leadership race: Humza Yousaf and Ash Regan announce bids to succeed Nicola Sturgeon | UK News

The Scottish health secretary Humza Yousaf and former minister Ash Regan have announced their bids to stand to succeed Nicola Sturgeon as leader of the SNP.

The pair made their announcements in the Sunday Mail newspaper, with Mr Yousaf describing the time since Ms Sturgeon announced her resignation as a “rollercoaster of emotions”.

They are the first candidates to officially declare their intention to stand.

Mr Yousaf said: “You’ve got to put yourself forward if you think you’re the best person for the job. And I do. This is the top job in the country, and it needs somebody who has experience.”

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf during a visit to the Rapid Cancer Diagnostic Service (RCDS) at the NHS Fife Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy. The chairman of a doctors' union has warned there is "no way that the NHS in Scotland can survive" in its current form as he renewed his calls for a national conversation on the future of the service. Dr Iain Kennedy, chairman of the British Medical Association in Scotland, issued the warning on Wednesday, and said his NHS colleagues had told him over the pas
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Humza Yousaf

The Glasgow Pollok MSP has been viewed as a potential successor to Ms Sturgeon since he first entered Holyrood in 2011.

He has been a perennial frontbencher in every SNP administration since, but has become mired with controversy in recent years surrounding the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Bill – which faced criticisms over its impact on freedom of expression – and his stewardship of the NHS, which faced the hardest winter in its history in recent months.

Announcing her bid, Ms Regan said she believes she is the right person to “bring back unity, draw a line under certain things and move past them”.

SNP Minister Ash Regan speaks at the For Women Scotland and the Scottish Feminist Network demonstration outside the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, ahead of the vote on the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill. Picture date: Wednesday December 21, 2022.
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Ash Regan

She referred to getting the NHS “back on its feet” following the COVID pandemic, boosting the economy, creating jobs and dealing with the cost of living crisis.

The former community safety minister has been referred to as a rebel SNP MSP after she resigned in protest against the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill, and has since become an outspoken critic of the legislation.

She has also called for SNP members who left in the past year to be given a vote in the leadership race – a move described as “preposterous” by deputy first minister John Swinney.

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Other potential candidates yet to announce their bids include finance secretary Kate Forbes, culture secretary Angus Robertson and Mairi McAllan.

Mr Swinney has ruled himself out to be next the leader, as did Stephen Flynn, the SNP’s Westminster leader.

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How the SNP will elect its new leader

SNP MP Angus MacNeil told Sky News that the party has a number of options to choose from following Ms Sturgeon’s surprise resignation.

“There are other capable people such as Jenny Gilruth or Ivan McKee, or I think Kate Forbes is going to put her hat into the ring as well,” he said.

“But one of the things that we do have is a depth of talent in the SNP.”

Candidates have until Friday 24 February to receive more than the threshold of 100 nominations from at least 20 local branches.

If more than one candidate passes that mark, an election will be triggered, culminating on 27 March.