With Nicola Sturgeon’s political future hanging in the balance, the bookies make it 11/10 that the Scottish National Party (SNP) leader would have left her post before the end of 2020. However, it is odds-on at 4/6 she will still be in charge.

And when Ms Sturgeon does resign, former deputy leader Angus Robertson is 4/1 to replace her as First Minister.

Deputy First Minister John Swinney and new Scottish Finance Secretary Kate Forbes were tipped at 6/1 to take her place.

While MP Joanne Cherry, tipped to replace Ms Sturgeon, was ranked at 10/1.

Ms Cherry fuelled speculation she is moving to succeed Ms Sturgeon by throwing her hat in the ring to stand in Ruth Davidson’s Edinburgh Central seat in the next Holyrood election next spring against former deputy leader Mr Robertson.

A Ladbrokes spokesman said: “With Alex Salmond’s trial looming and MPs within the SNP in disagreement over a second independence vote, punters have been backing Nicola Sturgeon to fall on her sword before the year is out.”

The news comes after it emerged infighting has erupted in the SNP ranks over Ms Sturgeon’s job amid criticism over her desperate plans for Scottish independence and Alex Salmond’s upcoming trial.

Senior SNP MPs are said to be “fighting like ferrets in a sack to be the next leader of the SNP”.

But Ms Sturgeon was forced to admit she was reviewing her future “on an ongoing basis”, however insisted speculation she is facing a revolt is “overblown”

The SNP leader vowed to lead her party into the next Holyrood election amid speculation she will be ousted over both the lack of real progress in the Scottish independence campaign and her failure on the domestic record.

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She told the BBC’s Andrew Marr show: “Firstly you have to have the support, not just of party but of my country and I would say humbly that I’ve just led my party to another landslide election victory.

“Secondly I have to be sure that I want to do this job, think I’m the best person to do this job, have the drive and energy – and that is emphatically the case.”

There is growing criticism over the SNP’s domestic record, particularly on education, healthcare and policing.

Outspoken critics Angus MacNeil and Kenny MacAskill have raised questions over Ms Sturgeon’s future as First Minister and leader of their party.

Mr MacNeil said Ms Sturgeon’s future was “a matter for events”, while former Justice Minister Mr MacAskill said “there is no vacancy” but speculated: “You never say never in politics.”

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