Nicola Sturgeon has denied the SNP is heading for civil war despite the candidates vying to replace her attacking each other.
The out-going First Minister was forced to endure another session at Holyrood today where opposition parties mocked her over the increasingly bitter leadership contest engulfing the party.
Kate Forbes, the Finance Secretary, had earlier this week launched an astonishing attack on the record of her Cabinet colleague and leadership rival Humza Yousaf.
Sturgeon insisted today she did not watch the STV debate which saw Forbes, Yousaf and Ash Regan trade blows over who should become the next First Minister.
Speaking to reporters outside the Holyrood chamber, she was asked if the leadership contest was heading towards civil war.
The First Minister responded: "Firstly, no, I don't think that, we're having a democratic election.
"I appreciate, and this is not meant as a flippant comment, we've had a couple of deputy leadership election campaigns in the SNP in recent years, but it's almost 20 years since there's been a leadership election.
"People are not used to it. But it's a democratic election, and that's something to be embraced."
It comes as Mhairi Black, the SNP's depute leader at Westminster, claimed Forbes' attack on Yousaf had been "damaging" to the party.
Speaking on political podcast The Bunker, Black was asked if Forbes becoming SNP leader would split the party.
She said: “Honestly I don’t know, to tell you the truth. "It’s very much a wait and see what happens. I wouldn’t even want to risk that, that’s why I’m backing Humza.
"I think he’s the best person to be able to band folk together again."
Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross had earlier told MSPs: "Nicola Sturgeon has divided Scotland and now her departure is dividing the SNP.”
He said that “while the SNP go through this civil war, the real priorities of Scotland are being ignored”.
Ross continued: "Finance Secretary Kate Forbes said this about Scotland – the trains never run on time, the police service is stretched to breaking point, there’s record high waiting times in the NHS.”
He went on to recall that when the First Minister had "handpicked" Forbes to be promoted in 2020, she had described her as having a "forensic grasp of detail".
Ross added: “On this Government’s record she has got the detail bang on the money, hasn’t she?”
Sturgeon conceded she could not "grudge" her opponents from seeking to make political capital from the leadership contest – the first in the SNP for almost 20 years.
"We have had lots of Tory and Labour leaderships to enjoy over these years," she added.
The Record revealed yesterday how an SNP Cabinet Secretary has accused leadership hopeful Kate Forbes of “trashing” the Government’s record and “undermining” the legacy of Nicola Sturgeon.
Shona Robison said her criticisms of the Government she serves in would not sit well with members during the campaign.
She also called on Forbes to provide “full transparency” on her views on abortion and insisted women would be “really uncomfortable” with a First Minister who did not stand up for reproductive rights.
The three-way contest between Forbes, Health Secretary Yousaf and backbencher Ash Regan to succeed Nicola Sturgeon went nuclear last night following the first live TV debate earlier this week.
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