Kate Forbes previously caused an uproar when she expressed disagreement with same-sex marriage and out-of-wedlock childbearing. Photo: PA/Jane Barlow
Kate Forbes is “seriously considering” a bid to replace Humza Yousaf as leader of the Scottish National Party and First Minister of Scotland, amid concerns that “Succession Sturgeon” is the favorite.
< p>Just minutes after Mr Yousaf announced his resignation, John Swinney was established as the overwhelming favorite to succeed him, with party grandees and several possible rivals for the leadership position quickly lining up behind him.
Senior Party sources have confirmed the former Deputy First Minister will throw his hat into the ring later this week after he said he was “very carefully considering” running for a second term as party leader.
The SNP hierarchy had hoped Mr Swinney could be crowned without a competition as the party sought a quick exit from the humiliating fiasco of Mr Yousaf's resignation. Mr Yousaf said he would remain First Minister until a successor was chosen.
Such hopes were boosted after several ministers who had been mooted as possible candidates said they would back him instead, including Neil Gray, Scotland's health secretary, and Jenny Gilruth, the education secretary.
But Sources close to Ms Forbes have said she is seriously considering a second chance at the leadership after she narrowly lost to Mr Yousaf in last year's contest to succeed Ms Sturgeon.
Although Mr Swinney would have been the clear favorite in any case, Ms Forbes' allies argued that her position would give party members a choice whether they wanted more “Sturgeon continuity” after Mr Yousaf.
Mr. Mr Swinney was the second most powerful figure in Ms Sturgeon's government and closely linked to her agenda, including higher taxes, radical environmental policies and controversial gender policies.
The 60-year-old also suffered setbacks. During his first stint as leader of the SNP, between 2000 and 2004, he was eventually forced to resign following the disastrous results of the European elections.
The SNP hierarchy hoped John Swinney could be crowned without a contest. Photo: PA/Andrew Milligan
Ms Forbes' allies said he was “yesterday's man”, a “Nicola Sturgeon apologist” and the architect of the party's unpopular coalition agreement. with the Greens. Mr Yousaf's unsuccessful attempt to withdraw from the agreement led to his resignation.
They also claimed that over the past year Ms Forbes had “come true to almost everything she said during the last election campaign”.
She then argued that “continuity will not help” and that the party needs to end with the Sturgeon era, which she called mediocre.
A devout Christian, she also caused an uproar when she expressed opposition to same-sex marriage and children born out of wedlock.
Mr Swinney, who backed Mr Yousuf in the contest, questioned at the time whether her views made her “the right person to be SNP leader and First Minister”. He contrasted his Christian views with those of Ms Forbes, a member of the Free Church of Scotland.
Humza Yousaf said he would remain First Minister until a successor is chosen. Photo: PA/Jane Barlow
Despite Mr Yousaf having the support of the entire party establishment, Ms Forbes lost the second round of voting by only 48 per cent to 52 per cent.
A senior SNP source said: “John is from the past. He is yesterday's man. He was the architect of the Bute House deal with the Greens and is an apologist for Nicola Sturgeon. He also accused Kate Forbes of not being a real Christian, which was absurd and quite distasteful.
“I'm sure the opinion polls show who would be the better First Minister between Swinney and Forbes , Kate will be the clear favorite because people want change.
“It will provide competent government in matters of employment, economy, health and education. She won't sit up until 3am worrying about gender reform.”
Another Forbes ally said: “No one doubts John's long-standing commitment to the Scottish National Party. But perhaps it’s worth asking: to what extent is it the future?
“Kate said there was continuity last time and it didn't help. What is John if not continuity? Kate continues to be very popular among members and her words in the latest campaign have proven true in almost every way. She takes this seriously.”
“Focus on people's priorities”
Fergus Ewing, a member of the Scottish National Party and a vocal critic of the coalition agreement with the Greens, said the party must abandon its woke agenda and “focus on people's priorities.”
He said: “This is not gender reform, this is not gender reform. this is not a hate crime, conversion therapy, or a misogyny bill. It's people's jobs, their livelihoods, the economy, health and education.”
The former Scottish minister added: “I think it's important that Kate stands so there is a clear choice and a democratic decision can be made . I expect her to stand and I think she will win.”
He said the SNP “cannot have another succession candidate crowned.”
Another SNP MSP said: “Bread and butter issues, not culture wars and identity politics, should be the priority for whoever succeeds Humza.”
The Scottish National Party's ruling national executive committee will meet later this week to determine the rules of the leadership contest, including the schedule and number of nominations required to enter.
Last year, the contest lasted six weeks and required candidates to nominate 100 candidates from at least 20 party branches. Mr Swinney and Ms Forbes would easily reach that threshold.
'Fresh thinking and talent'
Mr Swinney resigned as Deputy First Minister last year at the same time as Ms Sturgeon left and ruled out yourself out of the leadership struggle to achieve success. her.
He said his time at the top was over and the party needed “fresh thinking and fresh talent to come to the surface.” However, he still enjoyed enormous popularity among party members.
Senior SNP figures are understood to have spent last weekend lobbying Mr Swinney to put his name forward. that he will do it. Speaking in London just 90 minutes after Mr Yusuf resigned, he said he was “considering very carefully” whether to stand down.
He said: “I have been somewhat overwhelmed by the requests that have been made to me to do this with many, many messages from many party colleagues.
“So I am looking at this issue very actively, and probably I'll have something to say about this in the coming days.”
Mr Swinney added: “I have a lot to say, think about it, this is all about my family and I need to make sure I do right by my family, they are dear to me.
“I have to do right by my party and my country, so that's something to think about.”
He said he would ensure the SNP was a “moderate centre-left political party in the core tradition of Scottish public opinions.”
Electoral proposal rejected
As Scotland is set to get its third First Minister in just a few days. The following year he rejected Labour's call for a Holyrood election, saying the Edinburgh Parliament should sit for a full five-year term. The process is scheduled to conclude in May 2026.
Ms Gilruth tweeted: “John Swinney is the best candidate to be First Minister of Scotland and leader of the SNP. I will strongly support him if, as I hope, he decides to stand.”
Ian Blackford, former leader of the Scottish National Party's Westminster party, said Swinney “has what it takes” to lead the SNP. and “not only in the short term.”
Pete Wishart, the longest-serving SNP MP, tweeted. : “John Swinney would be a great unifier of our country and our party. We should all support him if he decides to run.”
Stephen Flynn, the current leader of Westminster, argued that Swinney was the only man who could unite the party and the country.
But Anas Sarwar, a Scot The Labor Party leader said the people of Scotland should decide who leads them, not “behind-the-scenes squabbling by the Scottish National Party”.
He told the Daily Record Mr Swinney “represents the past”, adding : “Obviously the SNP must decide who their leader is, but it's 'Continuity Sturgeon'.” It has doubled in the last 17 years of failure.”
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