It has been a busy day in the contest to succeed Nicola Sturgeon as SNP leader and first minister, as it became a three-way race - at least for now.

Here's a summary of what's happened.

• Constitution Secretary Angus Robertson ruled himself out of becoming leader saying the "time was not right" for him and his young family
• Kate Forbes announced she would be standing. In a significant break with the former leadership, she said she had “significant concerns” about self-identification and would not have voted for the Scottish government’s bill in its current form
• Humza Yousaf officially launched his campaign, promising to focus on the policies of independence, not the process - and added he was "not wedded" to the idea of using a general election as a de facto referendum
• There are now three candidates for SNP leader, with Ash Regan having entered the contest on Sunday. Nicola Sturgeon said it showed there was a wealth of talent but she will not be endorsing any particular candidate.

Nominations for candidates to succeed Ms Sturgeon close at noon on Friday. We'll keep you up-to-date with all the latest developments, but for now that's the end of the day's live page coverage.

SNP leadership candidate Kate Forbes says she wasn't planning to end her maternity leave for another three months but believes it's the right thing to do.

She says she's been "extraordinarily torn " over an "incredibly tough" three days - but has concluded she has something to offer the country.

Analysis: Candidates signal a change in direction for SNP leadershippublished at 18:02 Greenwich Mean Time 20 February 2023

18:02 GMT 20 February 2023

Kirsten Campbell
BBC Scotland political correspondent

It’s long been an understanding at Holyrood that nothing happened in the Scottish government without the first minister’s say so.

Nicola Sturgeon wasn’t seen as one to delegate responsibility, rather, it appeared that she liked to be in control.

The candidates lining up to replace her seem to suggest they want to do things differently.

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf denied he is the continuity candidate, arguing he is his own man. He’s promising a different style of leadership, using the wide array of talents available within the party at Holyrood, at Westminster and in local councils.

Finance Secretary Kate Forbes noted that the independence strategy was largely determined by a few people. She says that needs to be expanded and she would speak to, and listen to local branches, the wider Yes movement and people across the country.

The former community safety minister, Ash Regan, says she will give power to party members. She wants to set up an independence convention involving all pro-independence parties and organisations.

All three seem to want to involve a wider pool of people in the decision making process than is currently the case.

'Now it's about lining up backers'published at 17:51 Greenwich Mean Time 20 February 2023

17:51 GMT 20 February 2023

Andrew Kerr
Scottish political correspondent

Now it’s about lining up the backers for each candidate.

I was at the Humza Yousaf leadership bid launch in Clydebank.

I watched as he was introduced by Europe Minister Neil Gray MSP and also joined by Transport Secretary Michael Matheson MSP and Anum Qaisar MP, among others.

It’s ministerial-level of support each candidate will be trying to attract.

The Yousaf camp believe there’s a lot of top-level backing for him already in the party.

Big name signings could help sway the grassroots.

There will be a wait to see who Angus Robertson MSP decides to support - and other heavy hitters, like John Swinney MSP.

The task for the Yousaf team - and they know this - is now to try to get top-level support to flow down to the grassroots.

The two front-runners, Yousaf and also Kate Forbes, are both said to be “likeable” – so member choice may be down to actual policy.

Image source, Getty Images

Social justice secretary Shona Robison says she was "very saddened" that Nicola Sturgeon stood down as first minister and believes women leaders in politics are subjected to "very misogynistic" abuse.

Ms Robison, who said she would make it known "in due course" who she will support in the leadership race, said she understood Ms Sturgeon's decision to step down from the role after eight years.

"She has been a tremendous first minister but it is a long time and never having a moment to yourself or your family, to do things folk take for granted, is a hard shift," Ms Robison told BBC Scotland.

"She had to deal with a global pandemic and many other very challenging issues. I could see the pressure she is under constantly and has been for many years.

"I think women in politics of all parties, especially women leaders, get a particularly hard time. A lot of the abuse is very misogynistic in character. We are judged in different ways to men and a lot of the criticism is very personal.

"That is difficult, and something we should all want to change and unite across the political spectrum to call out and say it’s not acceptable."

Image source, Ruaraidh White

Ms Forbes describes the last few days as "incredibly tough" as she weighed up the challenges of returning to work early from maternity leave.

The SNP MSP gave birth to her daughter, Naomi MacLennan, last August.

She tells BBC Scotland: "I have been extraordinarily torn about what I should do.

"On one hand I have a very cute little six-month baby with chubby little hands who is just starting to sit up and has two front teeth.

"She is a delight and I love spending time with her.

"And on the other hand I think I have something to offer this country in terms of competent, confident leadership.

"Ultimately the people of the SNP will decide what is right."

Image source, PA Media

Humza Yousaf has said he will focus on the policies of independence, not the process, as he launched his bid to become first minister.

Mr Yousaf also said he was "not wedded" to the idea of a de facto referendum.

The Scottish health secretary is one of three MSPs to have entered the contest to lead the SNP after Nicola Sturgeon announced she would resign.

Finance Secretary Kate Forbes and former minister Ash Regan have also confirmed they will stand.

Officially launching his campaign in Clydebank, Mr Yousaf said he wanted to work with his party to determine the best strategy on independence.

Read more on this story here.

Image source, Getty Images

Ms Forbes tells the BBC the SNP needs "a reset" over its strategy for independence, which she says has been "largely determined by a few people".

She also says she has the "vision, the experience and the competence" to inspire voters within the party and across the country.

Asked whether the next UK election should be treated as a de facto referendum on independence, the finance secretary says the issue is "not that simple".

She tells BBC Scotland: "I think in Scotland we need to build support so that it is unstoppable from Westminster's perspective."

Image source, PA Media

Humza Yousaf also faced questions earlier about the relationship between religious beliefs and politics, and whether it could pose an issue in the SNP leadership contest.

“I’m a person of faith myself," Mr Yousaf told BBC Scotland's Andrew Kerr.

"I’ll be fasting during Ramadan in a number of weeks’ time but I don’t legislate based on my faith. That is not, I think, the job of elected representatives.

“Our party has done well being a socially progressive party and I want to make sure we continue to go down that route.”

Ms Forbes, a member of the Free Church of Scotland, was asked whether a man should be able to marry another man.

She says: "Equal marriage is a legal right and therefore I would defend that legal commitment.

"Incidentally though I would hope that others can defend the rights of other minorities, including religious minorities that might take a different view."

She said there was a distinction to be made between personal morality and practice - and a person's political responsibilities as a lawmaker.

Kate Forbes has previously spoken about her faith, her experience of growing up in India and her views on a future independence referendum in the Political Thinking podcast with Nick Robinson.

Drivetime with Fiona Stalker
BBC Radio Scotland

Image source, Getty Images

Kevin Stewart, the minister for mental wellbeing and social care, says he will be backing Humza Yousaf in the SNP leadership contest.

"I've worked with Humza for nearly two years in the health portfolio and I've seen his drive and commitment," the Aberdeen Central MSP told BBC Scotland's Drivetime programme.

"I want to ensure we continue the legacy of Nicola Sturgeon, who has been an immense first minister, and I think Humza is the right person for the job."

Despite concerns over record waiting times for NHS treatment during Mr Yousaf's time as health secretary, Mr Stewart said Scotland was "doing better than other nations in the UK" and much of that was down to Mr Yousaf's "hands-on leadership".

He also backed the 37-year-old Glasgow Pollok MSP to unify not only the SNP but the whole 'Yes' movement towards independence.

Kate Forbes was asked in her BBC interview if someone should simply be able to declare they are a woman if they were born a biological male.

She replies: "I don't think self-identification is sufficient."

The UK government blocked the Scottish government's gender recognition reform bill from becoming law on grounds it would interfere with the operation of equalities law south of the border.

Forbes says as first minister she would engage with Westminster about the amendments that need to be made to make the bill "compatible" with UK equalities legislation.

A number of Kate Forbes' colleagues in the SNP have defended her over her Christian faith and membership of the Free Church of Scotland.

There has been speculation about the position of the finance secretary on the issues of same-sex marriage, abortion, and gender reform.

Carol Monaghan MP said it was "incredibly disappointing" she was being targeted "because of her faith", external.

"We are entering dark territory here with far too many people failing to recognise this."

Her rival for leadership of the party, Ash Regan MSP, said she was "utterly appalled" at the "misogynistic attacks on Kate Forbes because of her faith".

She called for them to "stop immediately", external.

Joanna Cherry MP said she wished people would stop "attacking Kate Forbes for her religious beliefs", external.

She said she had never shown "any inclination to roll back rights as a matter of government policy" and she did not remember "any fuss about Ian Blackford’s membership of the same church".

"It is rank misogyny," she added.

Image source, PA Media

BBC Scotland editor James Cook puts it to Ms Forbes that she would have had to resign if she was a sitting cabinet minister at the time of the GRR vote.

She replies: "That would have been a question of collective responsibility and that would have been a decision that I would have had to take in discussion with colleagues. Obviously I wasn't there."

Cook observes: "That was handy, wasn't it?"

Ms Forbes says: "Well, I didn't predict the date at which my daughter would be born and neither did I set the government's timetable so it is certainly nothing that I had control over.

"But I have concerns about self id and those concerns remain."

Image source, PA Media

SNP leadership contender Kate Forbes has told BBC Scotland she has “significant concerns” about self-identification and would not have voted for the Scottish government’s bill in its current form.

Ms Forbes, who was on maternity leave when the vote took place in December, says people she has spoken to want to focus on the NHS, the cost of living crisis and making the case for independence.

The UK government has said it will block legislation that aims to make it easier for people in Scotland to change their legally recognised sex.

Ms Forbes says she would be "loath to challenge" that decision.

But she adds: "I understand the principle here which is that the UK government should not overturn Scottish legislation.

"That is an important principle which I hold to.

"But I think on this, seek legal advice and recognise it is not a priority right now for the people of Scotland, who are focused on other things.”

Speaking to the BBC, outgoing First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said she will not be endorsing any of the candidates.

She says doing so would not be fair. "I have one vote, the same as every other SNP member," she says.

She adds her "door will always be open" to the winning candidate if they wish to seek her advice.

Image source, Getty

The contest for the SNP leadership and the role of first minister will bring out divisions within the party, says political journalist Rachel Watson.

Ms Watson, political editor for the Scottish Sun, says Humza Yousaf's campaign launch today already highlighted a potential change of direction, citing his comments that he wanted to be "a different kind of leader" to Nicola Sturgeon.

Kate Forbes, like Mr Yousaf, is also leaning towards growing support around Scotland for independence, with Ash Regan the only one of the three candidates so far backing Ms Sturgeon's idea of treating the next general election as a de facto referendum.

"We have known for quite a while there’s been divisions in the SNP, particularly in the Westminster party," Ms Watson told BBC Scotland's Lunchtime Live programme.

"The GRR debate brought some of that to the forefront and I think the leadership debate will do more of that.

"When you have a leadership race, there are comments made, people briefing against each other. This is a competition and someone wants to win it.

"At the end of it, they are going to have to work together. I imagine if Kate Forbes wins, she would want Humza Yousaf in her cabinet, and vice-versa. So there will have to be a line somewhere."

Analysis: Candidates will be seeking high profile backerspublished at 15:10 Greenwich Mean Time 20 February 2023

15:10 GMT 20 February 2023

Philip Sim
BBC Scotland political correspondent

With MSPs back at Holyrood this week after recess, the immediate focus of the race is going to be on winning endorsements.

The contest will ultimately be about winning the votes of SNP members, but parliamentarians will be seen as influential voices in branches across the country.

Humza Yousaf has got off to a fast start, hosting a launch event before any of his rivals – and securing early support from several fellow ministers.

Neil Gray, seen by some as a potential contender himself, made an introductory speech, with net zero secretary Michael Matheson applauding away in the audience.

There had been some suggestion that a speedy leadership contest would count against Kate Forbes, who is making her way back from maternity leave.

However she has already secured the backing of two ministers – fellow finance bod Ivan McKee, and children’s minister Clare Haughey.

Ash Regan meanwhile has been left firing out policies via her twitter feed. She has the backing of a prominent MP in Joanna Cherry, but will be keen to pin down backers from among the MSP group as quickly as possible if her campaign is to build momentum.

One of Nicola Sturgeon's allies has said she would not have supported gender law reforms passed by Holyrood.

Former health secretary Jeane Freeman said "legitimate concerns" about the controversial legislation had not been addressed by MSPs.

Meanwhile, SNP MP Joanna Cherry has claimed the gender row was "a microcosm of what's gone wrong under Nicola's leadership".

Ms Sturgeon has insisted the reforms enhance the rights of trans people.

Ms Freeman and Ms Cherry were speaking as part of a BBC Disclosure programme about the events which led to Ms Sturgeon's resignation.

Asked if she would have backed the bill if she was still an MSP, Ms Freeman, who retired in 2021, said: "No, I wouldn't have supported it as it currently sits.

"But I would have been in parliament making an argument for some of the concerns that were raised, that I considered to be legitimate, to be addressed."

Read more about Jeane Freeman's comments here.

Image source, PA Media

With three candidates now in the running to replace Nicola Sturgeon what happens next?

Nominations for the post of SNP leader close at noon on Friday.

The ballot of party members will then open at noon on Monday 13 March and will close at noon, two weeks later, on Monday 27 March.

Only members who were in the party on 15 February are eligible to vote on a one-member-one-vote basis.

As of December 2021, the most recent membership figures for the SNP stood at 104,000.

The SNP says it will not provide a more up-to-date figure.

The new leader will be formally announced on 27 March.