A woman who worked for Deputy First Minister John Swinney has joined the SNP deputy leadership race.

Julie Hepburn is not in elected office but has worked for Swinney and Perth MP Pete Wishart.

She is the first woman to put her name forward for Angus Robertson's former position.

She told The National newspaper that the SNP should be "in training" for a second independence referendum.

"We need to be doing the preparation and training," she said. "We should not be pushing our views, but listening to No voters, or as I like to say, those people who are yet to be persuaded."

Ms Hepburn currently works for MP Stuart McDonald and is married to Scotland's Employability Minister Jamie Hepburn.

Glasgow MSP James Dornan has already announced that he will stand in the depute leadership race.

Westminster leader Ian Blackford has ruled out putting his name forward.