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Kate Forbes, the former Scottish National Party (SNP) minister, has revealed that she was initially regarded as a clear favorite to secure the party leadership until her personal views on gay marriage came to light. Forbes, who served as deputy first minister, narrowly lost the 2023 SNP leadership race to Humza Yousaf, amid criticisms focusing on beliefs she linked to her Christian faith.
At a recent Alliance for Responsible Citizenship (ARC) conference held in London, Forbes disclosed that she had been encouraged to conceal her opinions but chose to remain honest, believing that the public respects politicians who stand firm on matters of principle. She expressed confidence that despite her electoral defeat, she had “absolutely won the public support.” The former Member of Scottish Parliament (MSP), who stepped down at last month’s election, delivered a speech during the conference and took part in a question and answer session addressing “the challenge of leading with integrity.” Some members of the SNP took issue with her participation in the event, which featured notable right-wing figures including Nigel Farage, Kemi Badenoch, Boris Johnson, and supporters of Donald Trump.
Recalling the leadership contest, Forbes stated that she had been “very much in the lead” at the outset, describing her candidacy as “a bit of a slam dunk.” However, she lost support after discussing her stance against same-sex marriage legislation, which had been enacted before she was elected. Forbes clarified she would not attempt to repeal these laws despite her opposition to them. As a member of the Free Church of Scotland, she also voiced controversial views on family matters—such as considering having children outside marriage to be wrong—and faced backlash over her positions on abortion and transgender rights. During the conference, she addressed the advice she received to hide her convictions, saying, “All these wonderfully committed team members, who wanted me to win, had great advice—just lie and you’ll be fine,” but affirmed her satisfaction at maintaining her integrity in the face of intense scrutiny.
The question and answer segment was moderated by former Australian deputy prime minister John Anderson, who expressed sympathy for Forbes, suggesting she had been “grossly unfairly” treated due to her Christian beliefs. Anderson controversially pointed out that Yousaf, a Muslim, had also been equally or more committed to similar views despite the difference in faith. Forbes did not contest this statement. She shared that many members of the public responded positively once her religious beliefs were known, recalling instances of people telling her she was “the only honest one amongst [the politicians].” Forbes described receiving a vast number of messages from individuals who disagreed with her views but respected her right to speak honestly about her conscience. She lamented that her experience in managing Scotland’s budget and holding the largest electoral majority seemed to matter less in the public eye than “having a conscience.”
During the SNP leadership contest, Humza Yousaf defended his absence from the pivotal vote on Scotland’s equal marriage law, stating he had to attend an “unavoidable” engagement concerning a death row prisoner in Pakistan and affirmed, “I support equal marriage. I supported it then, support it now.” In response to questions about the ARC event, Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney distanced himself, stating, “I certainly wouldn’t speak at a conference like that because I’m going to have nothing to do with Reform.” Discussing wider political division, Forbes commented that politicians have long made unrealistic promises, noting multiple recent referendums in the UK have left half the population “scunnered and angry,” with the other half disappointed by unmet expectations. The SNP chose not to comment directly on Forbes’ remarks but highlighted that Swinney had recently taken part in pride marches in Edinburgh.
First elected to the Scottish Parliament in 2016, Kate Forbes quickly rose through the ranks to become Scotland’s first female finance secretary in 2020. After her defeat in the SNP leadership contest in 2023, she returned to the backbenches but reportedly considered another leadership challenge before deciding to support John Swinney and accepting the role of his deputy. Ultimately, she did not stand for re-election in May’s Holyrood election, citing family commitments as her reason for stepping down
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