Race to replace Sturgeon as leader under way with SNP ruling committee set to meet to work out succession timetable

'I didn't expect Nicola to resign.' President of the SNP Michael Russell says his level of surprise at the news that Nicola Sturgeon is stepping down was 'about ten' on a scale of one to ten. Latest: 📺 Sky 501, Virgin 602, Freeview 233 and YouTube

After it, we should get some sort of statement or press release giving details of the terms or timetable of the leadership contest.

So, it may not be until April, possibly early May, when we get a new leader of the SNP and new first minister. He told Kay Burley on Thursday:"I'll indeed not be standing. Of course the next leader of the Scottish National Party needs to have the ability to be first minister - no MP has the ability to be first minister for obvious reasons that we are located in London and not Edinburgh."

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