Why Kate Forbes' faith and beliefs may not be a barrier to SNP power this time

Could those within the SNP who didn’t back Kate Forbes in last year’s leadership contest have changed their mind?

Kate Forbes likely lost out on the keys to Bute House last year because of her religious beliefs – but will her faith be a barrier if she decides to run this year?

Last year, Ms Forbes came close to persuading enough SNP members to put their trust in her – despite senior party backers dropping their support almost instantly after it was revealed she would not have supported a vote on equal marriage.

Her membership of the Free Church of Scotland, which takes a strongly conservative position on women’s reproductive rights and same-sex marriage, was seen as too toxic for many SNP members and for some, that will not have changed.

Potential leadership candidate Kate Forbes attends the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh. Picture: Andy Buchanan/AFP via Getty Images

For many in the SNP, appointing a leader in 2024 who is morally opposed to gay marriage doesn’t sit well. And it is fair to say if Ms Forbes did not hold those views, and cynically, those views had not been scrutinised at length last year, she could have beaten Humza Yousaf.

Ms Forbes said she would not have supported gay marriage when it was legalised in Scotland in 2014 because it clashed with her religious views, but later insisted "equal marriage is a legal right” and that she would “absolutely respect and defend that democratic right".

The obvious question to ask is – won’t Ms Forbes simply face those questions and criticism again?

Last year, such a big deal was made, legitimately, about Ms Forbes’s views. But as her potential leadership rival John Swinney has warned, the SNP is in a “more difficult situation” and party members may be willing to forgive those views if they feel her premiership is what is needed.

Kate Forbes is considering running to be the next first minister (Picture: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire)

People can be fickle. Many will feel they’ve heard concerns about her views before and believe that people should give her a break. Some members may look back at Mr Yousaf’s premiership and regret not giving Ms Forbes a chance last year. Others might feel sympathetic that she was given a hard time over her beliefs.

Some people might look at Mr Yousaf’s committed Muslim faith as opening the door for Ms Forbes’s views to have a place in modern politics – despite no evidence the current first minister’s religious beliefs have swayed his politics and a perception those of Ms Forbes would or could. But the former finance secretary has previously said she will “make my own decisions on the basis of what decision is right and wrong, according to my faith”, but “not according to the diktat of any church”.

On Tuesday, Ms Forbes voted in favour of plans to stop protestors gathering and intimidating women attending abortions and other medical appointments. She has previously raised concerns about the legislation balancing the rights of those attending appointments and those feeling they need to say prayers outside such facilities.

Allies of Ms Forbes are already accusing those questioning her suitability as tied to “misogyny”. SNP MP Joanna Cherry branded it a “sexist witch hunt”, claiming “cynical misrepresentation of her positions” was “positively dripping with misogyny”.

Scottish politics has moved on significantly since the last leadership contest and members feeling their party needs genuine change might be more persuaded to put Ms Forbes’s views to one side and give her the chance to steer the SNP back on course.