Two more Scottish Government ministers have backed Keith Brown to become deputy leader of the SNP.

Roseanna Cunningham and Margaret Burgess follow Alex Neil, Humza Yousaf and Michael Matheson in their support for Mr Brown, Scotland's transport minister.

Three-quarters of women SNP MSPs who are able to express a preference now back Mr Brown.

Ms Cunningham said: "Keith is an excellent minister and a good colleague. He is absolutely dependable and his achievements in Government show that he can succeed in difficult circumstances. With the incredible expansion in SNP membership we need a depute leader with exceptional organisational skills and the one man who fits that bill perfectly is Keith.

"I've been impressed with the thinking that's gone into Keith's plans for the party; I like the way he's talking about engaging all of the members, new and old, and working out how to develop policy in a party that counts more than 1.5% of the population as members now. We've got to think differently, we've got to be bold and adventurous to find ways to drive forward Scotland's interests, we've got to channel the imagination and drive of all 80,000 members of the SNP to do that.

"Keith Brown is the person we need as depute leader and he has my support."

Ms Burgess said: "I took over the housing brief from Keith and it was the foundation that he laid that meant I was able to complete the most ambitious council house building programme in a generation. Attention to detail and belief in what we're doing is essential to make a real difference to the lives of Scots and improve the country and that's exactly what we get with Keith.

"Tapping into the energy and enthusiasm that made the referendum campaign so exciting and invigorating will be the challenge that faces our new depute leader. It will need someone who is available to the party and who is near at hand to consult with Nicola Sturgeon. I think our depute will have to be in the Scottish Parliament to do the job properly.

"I've got absolute faith in Keith Brown to do the job and get it done properly; he's exactly what we need. I'll be voting for Keith and I encourage all the other party members to do the same."

Mr Brown said: "It's humbling to have the support of colleagues who I respect and who have also proven themselves in Government. I started out on this campaign with the encouragement of MSP colleagues and I'm delighted that the support has kept coming. I'm particularly pleased that the women in the SNP group are showing confidence in me.

"We've got a job to do in Government and a job to do in keeping the spirit of the referendum alive. We've got to lay out a route-map for Scotland and plan for a future where the powers of the Scottish Parliament are not yet clear. When the Smith Commission reports we have to be ready to respond and adapt our policies and operations to the new landscape we'll be faced with.

"The SNP has a serious job to do and I'm confident that we'll be up to the job if we get the foundations right. This is a serious task and I'm ready for it."

Mr Brown also claims the support of over half of Holyrood's SNP MSPs as well as a number of councillors and senior grassroots organisers.

He faces competition from Youth Employment Secretary Angela Constance, who has made a direct appeal to the tens of thousands of new members who joined the SNP in the wake of the referendum, swelling its ranks from around 25,000 to over 80,000.

Many of these independence die-hards will have attained voting rights before the cut-off point of September 23, and will have equal representation under the SNP's one-member-one-vote system.

Westminster treasury spokesman Stuart Hosie is also standing on a platform of securing the maximum number of SNP MPs at the next general election, which he says should not be seen as a re-run of the referendum but an opportunity to hold the Westminster's "feet to the fire" over unionist devolution pledges.