Kate Forbes is under pressure to pull out of the SNP leadership contest after claiming having children out of wedlock was “wrong”.
Supportive MSPs and MPs also deserted her in droves after she said she would not have supported same sex marriage in 2014.
A source close to Forbes said she would be staying in the race.
Finance secretary Forbes is up against Health Secretary Humza Yousaf and MSP Ash Regan in the battle to succeed Nicola Sturgeon.
But the evangelical Christian’s rejection of same sex marriage triggered a backlash amongst colleagues and allies.
She was then blasted for comments on having children outside of marriage: “For me, it would be wrong according to my faith, but for you I have no idea what your faith is. So, in a free society you can do what you want.”
The proportion of births to unmarried parents was 50.9% in 2016.
Toni Giugliano, SNP development policy convener, said she should consider withdrawing: “Who gains from this? This will dominate the next five weeks, overshadowing everything else, even overshadowing our drive for independence.
“I don’t think Kate, the party or the movements gains from this. She should consider whether it is time to withdraw.”
He said the SNP had fought hard for many years to gain a reputation for progressive politics:
“For that to be blown away by a leadership hopeful is worrying. Damage has been done.”
Linlithgow and East Falkirk MP Martyn Day said her comments on having children outside of marriage were “unbelievable”.
He said: “She’s making it impossible for people to support her, myself included.”
He added he was “reconsidering all the options", saying: "There are a few positions that she now needs to straighten out satisfactorily.
“I am prepared to give her the next day or so as I have until Friday to decide who to nominate.”
Sturgeon also distanced herself from Forbes: “I don’t agree on these issues…I take a very different view on these issues, but there’s a leadership election under way and the SNP will make its decision.”
Senior party figure Mhairi Hunter, an ally of Sturgeon who is backing Yousaf, tweeted: “Will someone please intervene. This is damaging the party and it is not fair to anyone.”
Forbes yesterday watched as one-time supporters deserted her.
Richard Lochhead, the just transition minister, u-turned after the gay rights row saying: “I welcomed my colleague Kate Forbes’ decision to join the SNP leadership contest given her talents & felt it would give us a real contest: new ideas and a new approach that we desperately need. However, I agree we can’t have a Party Leader who’d vote against same sex marriage.”
Aberdeenshire East MSP Gillian Martin, another initial backer, tweeted: “We must be full throated in our support of equal marriage. No if or buts. I won’t be supporting Kate’s campaign on that basis. I wish her well- she’s extremely talented. But I have red lines. And this is one.”
Children and Young People Minister Clare Haughey was “delighted” to nominate Forbes, but hours later wrote: “I absolutely and completely support equal marriage. I am unequivocal on this issue. I cannot continue to support Kate’s leadership campaign.”
Public Finance Minister Tom Arthur also ditched her and said: “Equal marriage is amongst our Parliament’s greatest achievements and one that I would have been proud to vote for had I been an MSP when it was passed. Consequently, I am unable to continue to support Kate’s campaign.”
SNP MSP Ivan McKee, a senior figure backing her, said: “I will be talking to Kate this evening about the campaign.”
Asked if she would see the SNP campaign through, Forbe said: “At the moment, yes.”
Drew Hendry, an SNP MP in the Highlands, tweeted: “Whilst I wish her well for the future, my focus now is on ensuring we can bring people across communities, of all faiths - and none - back to a position of love, understanding, and, above all, respect. To that end, sadly, I cannot continue to back Kate’s leadership bid.”
Hannah Bardell, a party MP who had not backed the Forbes campaign, wrote: “I hope in time she might understand why her views are so difficult for so many of us. I’d be very open to discuss it. Progress on equality can never stand still, it must always evolve. Meantime I wish her well with her campaign and hope that others who may disagree with her can do so with respect and dignity. Please.
“Everyone is entitled to their views, and to express them. But as elected politicians we have to recognize how powerful and important our words can be and that they will always be rightly, open to criticism and challenge.”
In an interview, Forbes said she would have voted against the landmark equalities bill “as a matter of conscience”.
“I believe that it should be a conscience vote because of its profound significance in all mainstream faiths,” she told The Scotsman.
“I think for me, Angela Merkel is the example I would follow, I would have voted, as a matter of conscience, along the lines of mainstream teaching in most major religions that marriage is between a man and a woman.
“But I would have respected and defended the democratic choice that was made.”
Yousaf has said he backs gay marriage: “I’m a supporter of equal marriage.
“I’m a Muslim. I’m somebody who’s proud of my faith. I’ll be fasting during Ramadan in a few weeks’ time.
“But what I don’t do is, I don’t use my faith as a basis of legislation. What I do as a representative, as a leader, as a Member of the Scottish Parliament is my job is to bring forward policy and pursue it in the best interest of the country.”
Regan tweeted: “Love is love.”
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