THE SNP have now confirmed that tonight’s hustings will be livestreamed on the party’s digital channels.
It will be available to view via the party's Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
On Tuesday, just one day before the Central Scotland hustings which is set to take place in Cumbernauld, the SNP’s ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) said it and the eight other regionals hustings would be closed to both the public and press.
The NEC said this was to create “a safe space for members to ask questions of the three candidates”.
READ MORE: ALL SNP candidates agree to major hustings in association with The National
However, a backlash against the decision rapidly grew to include all three of the contenders for SNP leader and first minister: Kate Forbes, Humza Yousaf, and Ash Regan.
The Society of Editors also condemned the move to hold the events in private and called on organisers to reverse the decision.
Late on Wednesday, the ban on media was reversed.
A spokesperson for the SNP NEC said: "We are in discussion with media outlets making a request for access to our members hustings event in Cumbernauld, and we're already looking at ways to make content available to our wider membership for the remainder of this series of events."
Access to the first event is understood to be on a “pool” basis, meaning only a limited number of journalists can attend but the content they collect will be made more widely available.
Photographers will have access to the halls prior to the start of the meeting, and press will be able to remain and "gather reaction from outside the hustings hall".
Dawn Alford, the executive director of the Society of Editors, welcomed the "partial U-turn".
She said. “While the Society welcomes the decision by party bosses to U-turn on allowing the media access to this evening’s event, the default position should always have been in favour of openness and transparency.
"It is essential that proper media access is permitted for all the upcoming hustings events to ensure proper scrutiny of the candidates for the benefit of the Scottish people.”
Two public debates between the three contenders have also been announced.
The SNP Trade Union Group (SNPTUG) has organised a hustings in association with The National, which will be live streamed across all of our social media platforms on Saturday, March 11.
STV will broadcast a debate which will be hosted by political editor Colin Mackay. It is scheduled to air at 9pm on Tuesday, March 7.
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