Kate Forbes: ‘I was told to lie about religious beliefs to win SNP leadership’

The former Deputy First Minister also claimed she had the support of the public in 2023

EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND - AUGUST 30: Kate Forbes, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Gaelic, speaks on day one of the SNP conference at Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC) on August 30, 2024 in Edinburgh, Scotland. John Swinney opened the Scottish National Party's 90th annual conference with his first speech as leader. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

by Democrat reporter

Kate Forbes has revealed she was advised to lie about her religious beliefs if she wanted to be the leader of the SNP. The former finance minister was seen as the leading candidate to replace Nicola Sturgeon in 2023.

But her campaign suffered a setback when she revealed she would have voted against same-sex marriage if she had been an MSP at the time, although she said she would not have looked to overturn the law.

Forbes, a member of the Free Church of Scotland, also said she believed people should only have children after they are married.

Speaking at a conference in London, the former Deputy First Minister said she had been a “slam dunk” for the leadership before her views became known.

She eventually lost narrowly to Humza Yousaf, who was the preferred candidate of the SNP establishment.

She claims that advisers told her to stay quiet about her beliefs that will be seen as most damaging to the SNP.

Speaking last week, Ms Forbes is reported to have said: “All these wonderfully committed team members, who wanted me to win, had great advice – just lie and you’ll be fine.

“I ended the first 24 hours just so thankful that, in the face of the questions, I hadn’t crumbled. The result felt like a victory because during that period I thought I had not given in when I could have.”

Ms Forbes insisted she had the support of the public, who admired her honesty in the face of a barrage of criticism. She told the audience that people were telling her she was the “only honest” politician, something that “felt good”.

EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND - MARCH 14: (L-R) Health Secretary Humza Yousaf, Finance Secretary Kate Forbes and ex-minister Ash Regan on stage at the BBC televised leadership debate on March 14, 2023 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Scotland's current First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, has resigned as leader of the SNP and the party will elect a new leader, who will also become First Minister, on 27 March 2023. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

She added: “I answered questions honestly about my faith, and the way it shaped my view of sex and gender, of marriage and family. The backlash was instant and fervent.”

Her comments were made last week but have only come to light now via the BBC. Ms Forbes, who stepped down as an MSP this year, had been criticised for taking part in the conference by some within her party.

Also speaking were the likes of Nigel Farage, Kemi Badenoch and Boris Johnson, while it was chaired by former Australian deputy prime minister John Anderson, who said she had been treated “grossly unfairly” and claimed Mr Yousaf “was probably every bit as committed to those views, and even more hardline, but happened to be of a different faith”.

Mr Yousaf won the leadership contest, which also included Ash Regan, with 52% of the vote in the second round. Ms Forbes, who had been critical of her rival’s record in government, initially retired to the backbenches but returned as deputy to John Swinney 13 months later.

Tory MSP Murdo Fraser, pictured right, an ally of Ms Forbes, said the SNP had “become a narrow sect where those who do not hold to a ‘progressive’ agenda are unwelcome”.