Politicians have the right to strong religious views. But not to be shielded from scrutiny

‘Being a member of the Free Church has not prevented Kate Forbes speaking publicly. Nor from becoming an MSP.’ Photograph: Murdo MacLeod/The Guardian

‘Secularism now means a ban on religious people in public life.” “We seem to have ushered in a kind of reverse religious test.” “Does her faith and her refusal to renounce any elements of it effectively debar her from public office?”

The decision by Kate Forbes, Scotland’s finance secretary, to run for the leadership of the Scottish National party has sparked both scrutiny of her socially conservative views, especially on abortion and gay marriage, and a pushback from those who see the campaign against her as an attempt to keep orthodox Christians out of public office. As with many contemporary debates, the controversy is freighted with confusions, and sometimes with bad faith, and requires careful unpacking.