The SNP is descending into all-out civil war today over the 'illiberal' backlash at leadership hopeful Kate Forbes.
Senior figures have been voicing alarm at the 'feeding frenzy' over Ms Forbes' devout Christian views, saying the party needs to 'call off the dogs'.
The Finance Secretary had been the front runner to replace Nicola Sturgeon, but appears to have effectively torched her prospects by declaring she would have voted against gay marriage and regards sex outside marriage as 'wrong'.
The 32-year old insisted that she had no intention of 'imposing' her 'fairly mainstream' beliefs on anyone else.
But MSPs have rushed to distance themselves from Ms Forbes, a member of the Free Church of Scotland, amid a vicious backlash from activists.
She could face an internal SNP disciplinary probe after telling ITV Border: 'I believe that a trans woman is a biological male who identifies as a woman.'
Party rules suggest that referring to trans women as 'biological males' can be classed as transphobic.
Senior SNP figures have been voicing alarm at the 'feeding frenzy' over Kate Forbes' (pictured) devout Christian views, saying the party needs to 'call off the dogs'
The crumbling leadership bid leaves Health Secretary Humza Yousaf (left) as the favourite to take over from Nicola Sturgeon. Ash Regan is also standing for the top job
SNP MP Joanna Cherry said it was 'time to call the dogs off', pointing out that Ms Sturgeon appointed her as a minister 'in full knowledge of her religious views'.
Ms Cherry, a KC, said she 'strongly disagreed' with Ms Forbes' opinions but 'this feeding frenzy is unseemly and bad for the party'.
The crumbling leadership bid leaves Health Secretary Humza Yousaf as the favourite to take over from Ms Sturgeon - but has also highlighted the massive rift at the heart of the SNP. Other parties have been rubbing their hand at the prospect of Mr Yousaf becoming leader, branding him the 'minister for gaffes'.
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