Scotland’s finance secretary Kate Forbes has announced she is standing for the SNP leadership following Nicola Sturgeon’s shock resignation last week.
Long one of the favourites to succeed Ms Sturgeon, the 32-year-old is cutting short her maternity leave to take part in the contest to become first minister.
Ms Forbes said the Scottish independence movement was at a “major crossroads”, adding: I can’t sit back and watch our nation thwarted on the road to self-determination.”
The Christian candidate said she does not support self-identification for transgender people – saying there was scope to “revisit” Ms Sturgeon’s controversial legislation blocked by the UK government.
But she also said there does need to be some reform of gender recognition law. “We need to make it a less onerous process – but that is going to require a grown-up debate and discussion with the UK government,” Ms Forbes told Channel 4 News.
A member of the Free Church of Scotland, Ms Forbes also said she would have voted against same-sex marriage, but said as first minister she would not “row back on rights that already exist”.
It comes as Scotland’s constitution secretary Angus Robertson made the surprise announcement that he will not stand to succeed Ms Sturgeon as SNP leader, citing family commitments.
Mr Robertson, previously SNP Westminster leader, had been widely tipped as one of those who would run. “As the father of two very young children, the time is not right for me and my family to take on such a huge commitment,” he said.
But he added: “As the father of two very young children, the time is not right for me and my family to take on such a huge commitment.”
Five days after Ms Sturgeon dramatically quit the post, only three contenders for the job of SNP leader and first minister have emerged so far.
Scottish health secretary Humza Yousaf has already announced he will run for the post, as has ex-community safety minister Ash Regan, who quit rom her ministerial position in protest at Ms Sturgeon’s gender reform plans.
At his campaign launch on Monday, Ms Yousaf paid tribute to Ms Sturgeon, saying he was “deeply sad, gutted frankly” by her departure – adding that he hoped to continue her legacy of social justice.
But Ms Yousaf expressed his doubts over using the 2024 general election as a de facto referendum on Scottish independence. “I’ve got some concerns,” he said. “I’m not wedded to the idea of using a general election as a de facto referendum.
“But what I would say is that we have to stop talking about process, and start talking about policy – because if independence becomes the settled will of the Scottish people then those political obstacles will disappear.”
Mr Yousaf said he could not pretend that self-ID legislation for trans people had not “caused some division” within his party – but promised to stand by the legislation and challenge the Section 35 order from the UK government to block it.
In contrast, Ms Regan has made clear that ditching the gender self-ID reforms and an aggressive push for a second Scottish independence referendum are set to be at the top of her campaign agenda.
SNP depute leader Keith Brown and deputy first minister John Swinney have ruled themselves out of the race, as have Stephen Flynn, the SNP’s Westminster leader, SNP MP Joanna Cherry, Ukraine minister Neil Gray and environment minister Mairi McAllan.
Ms Forbes has long been seen as a potential successor to Ms Sturgeon. She was thrust into the limelight by having to step in and deliver the Scottish budget at the 11th hour in 2020 after her predecessor, Derek Mackay, resigned in disgrace.
But the MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch could be at odds with the wider party – and current policy – on some social issues, including the hotly-debated gender reforms blocked by the UK government.
Ms Forbes is also known to have concerns about the gender self-ID bill. Ms Regan tweeted that she was “utterly appalled by the misogynistic attacks on Kate Forbes because of her faith”.
The SNP’s business minister Ivan McKee backed Ms Forbes, saying she would “deliver excellent public services, a strong economy, a green economy for Scotland and be able to persuade people of the case for the SNP and for independence”.
Candidates have until Friday to secure 100 nominations from at least 20 local branches to secure their place on the ballot, with the new SNP leader being announced on March 27.
Ms Sturgeon said on Monday that she had “enormous confidence” that the SNP will choose someone of ability. “Clearly, there’s a spectrum of talent on display there.”
