COUNTDOWN TO THE SUCCESSION

■ NICOLA Sturgeon will officially bow out as First Minister in the coming days, with her successor due to be sworn in next week.

■ The SNP leader will carry out her final engagement as First Minister today, opening a national treatment centre in Fife.

■ Voting on the SNP leadership contest between Humza Yousaf, Kate Forbes and Ash Regan will close at midday on Monday, with the winner announced at an event in Edinburgh later that afternoon.

■ Ms Sturgeon will then tender her resignation to King Charles by letter on Tuesday before MSPs vote later that day on whether to support the new SNP leader becoming First Minister at Holyrood.

■ The new First Minister will be sworn in at the Court of Session on Wednesday and is likely to then begin a reshuffle of the Scottish Government Cabinet.

■ MSPs will then be asked to vote on the new Cabinet and junior ministerial team, the same day as the first session of First Minister’s Questions for the new leader.