Kate Forbes surprised no one when she finally confirmed yesterday what many had known for days.
The Highland MSP is standing to become the next SNP leader – and First Minister – joining Humza Yousaf and Ash Regan in the race for Bute House. At just 32, she is an experienced political operator with an impressive grasp of her brief as finance secretary.
There’s no doubt that she has a lot of ability and a great deal to contribute at Holyrood, where brains, talent and political wisdom are in short supply. Being a mum who has come back from maternity leave to go for the top job also gives her a unique selling point to voters.
But becoming First Minister brings with it some important responsibilities. Among those is a cast-iron commitment to protect the rights of all, regardless of their race, religion or sexual orientation. That is why comments by Forbes saying she would have voted against gay marriage pose serious questions about her fitness to lead her party – and the country at large.
This position flies in the face of the gains made since the devolution era began. Scotland – under Labour/LibDem and SNP administrations – has made great strides to becoming a more confident, socially liberal place to live.
Part of that was getting rid of legislation which prohibited any promotion of homosexuality in schools. Another important milestone was the legalisation of same-sex marriage in 2014 – two years before Forbes was elected.
But Forbes has now stated categorically she would have voted against same-sex marriage had she been an MSP then. This social conservatism seems to be a fundamental part of Forbes’ political philosophy – and it must be a great concern that somebody holding these views could be our next First Minister.
It is well-known that Forbes has deeply held religious beliefs – and that should never be a barrier to holding high political office. In fact, religious faith can often be the backbone of a commitment to social justice and equality.
But Forbes appears to hold socially conservative views that are a barrier to equality – especially for gay people in Scotland. Her opponent Humza Yousaf also comes from a strong faith background. But he this does not stand in the way of his commitment to same-sex marriage.
Speaking last night, he said his religious beliefs do not stop his unwavering support for equality. If Forbes is to stand any chance of winning over the people, she will have to make a similar declaration. Otherwise her leadership bid will be fatally wounded before it gets off the ground.
Equality, respect and a belief in human rights for all is a big part of who we are as a nation. Our next
First Minister must embody those principles and be a leader to all Scots.
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