KATE Forbes becoming first minister would “inevitably” see the governing agreement with the Scottish Greens get torn up, the SNP’s policy convener has said.
It comes after the Finance Secretary formally launched her bid to take over from Nicola Sturgeon as SNP leader – and swiftly afterwards confirmed that she would not seek to challenge the UK Government’s blocking of Scottish gender reforms.
Forbes also told the BBC that she wouldn’t have backed the Gender Recognition Reform Bill had she been in Parliament at the time, but added: "I understand the principle here which is that the UK Government should not overturn Scottish legislation.
"That is an important principle which I hold to.”
In the wake of the comments, SNP policy convener Toni Giugliano wrote: “My suspicions have sadly been confirmed.
“We have a leadership hopeful who disagrees with the manifesto she stood on. Who refuses to challenge a Westminster power grab. Who would inevitably rip up the Bute House agreement which solidifies the pro-indy majority.
“Reckless,” he added.
My suspicions have sadly been confirmed: We have a leadership hopeful who disagrees with the manifesto she stood on. Who refuses to challenge a Westminster power grab. Who would inevitably rip up the Bute House agreement which solidifies the pro-indy majority. Reckless.
— Toni Giugliano (@ToniGiugliano) February 20, 2023
Forbes also told the Scotsman that she would not have voted for gay marriage, leading to criticism from the Scottish Greens.
Councillor Anthony Carroll wrote on Twitter: “The Bute House Agreement [the deal between the SNP and Greens] should be torn up the second Kate Forbes steps foot into Bute House if she becomes FM.”
However, Forbes also told that paper that she planned to keep the agreement – which gives the Greens two government ministers in exchange for supporting the SNP government in a range of policy areas – in place.
She said it would be up to the Greens to “live with” her economic proposals.
A second hopeful in the SNP leadership race, former minister Ash Regan, has signalled that she would take similar steps to Forbes – refusing to challenge the UK Government’s blocking of the gender reform bill.
On Twitter, she shared without comment a story from the Daily Record headlined: “SNP leadership hopeful Ash Regan vows to dump gender reforms if elected First Minister.”
Pollster Mark McGeoghegan said that such a move would lead “to a Regan-led ScotGov having to seek deals with the Unionist parties in order to survive”, likely because the Greens would be furious.
McGeoghegan went on: “The SNP used to be comfortable with this, it was routine during the 2007-11 Govt. To be honest, sans the constitutional question it would be a very normal and potentially welcome collegiate model of government.
“But Regan also positions herself as a constitutional fundamentalist.
“And then there's the question of whether her Unionist counterparts would rather bring down her nascent govt, render her a weak FM, and go on the offensive.
“All in all, a recipe for instability.”
Humza Yousaf, the third contender in the SNP leadership race, has laid out his support for both gender reform and the deal with the Greens.
He told Andrew Marr on LBC: “I'm a wholehearted supporter of that deal, because it's brought stability to the government.
“I think in a time when we have so much political discord, the fact that two political parties who yes, have some differences in policy, are able to come together to compromise, find an agreement to govern in the best interest of the country, that's a good thing.
“But frankly speaking, it would do enormous damage to the independence movement, if we had two parties that were working well together, split up, have that divorce, frankly, and that's not going to go down well for anybody.
“I think the Green deal has been great for not just for the government, but actually we've brought forward some really radical reforms. So, I'm a great supporter of it.”
Yousaf also addressed the topic of equal marriage, seeming to attack Forbes's position.
He said: "I'm a supporter of equal marriage. Let me get to the crux of the issue that you're asking me. 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."
On Monday night, a Greens spokesperson made clear that challenging the UK Government's block on gender reform was a sticking point for them.
They said: “Eighteen months ago the Scottish Greens agreed to join the Scottish Government under the terms of the Bute House Agreement.
"It is a positive and progressive deal that was scrutinised and overwhelmingly endorsed by the membership and politicians of both parties, along with the full Cabinet.
“We are committed to working in co-operation with the SNP to ensure that it is delivered in full on behalf of the people of Scotland, including the Gender Recognition Reform Bill.
“The UK Government's decision to veto this clearly devolved bill is an abuse of their power. As long-term allies of the trans community, the Scottish Greens agree with the First Minister that this decision must be challenged robustly.
“Not to do so would set a very damaging precedent and would be incompatible with any belief in Scotland's right to self-government."
