'Never say never': Kate Forbes opens the door to another SNP leadership bid

The former finance secretary told a newspaper ‘never say never’

Kate Forbes. Picture: Jane Barlow/PA

Kate Forbes has opened the door to another SNP leadership bid, insisting it is “high time we had a Highlander at the helm”.

The former finance secretary, who narrowly lost out to Humza Yousaf earlier this year, told the Irish Times: “Never say never.”

She previously said she was “highly, highly unlikely” to run again during an appearance at an Edinburgh Fringe show.

During a live recording of Iain Dale and Jacqui Smith's For the Many podcast, she said she had “not just dodged a bullet, but perhaps something even more explosive than that”.

Mr Yousaf’s time in office has been dominated by the fallout from the police investigation into the SNP’s finances. This has seen the arrest of former first minister Nicola Sturgeon and her husband Peter Murrell, who were both released without charge.

Ms Forbes received 23,890 votes (48 per cent) overall at the recent SNP leadership election, once second preferences were distributed, compared to Mr Yousaf’s 26,032 votes (52 per cent).

She told the Irish Times: “It's been pretty tough. Fair play to Humza Yousaf. I think it would have been difficult for anybody.

“It's difficult to set out your vision when you're trying to manage these extraordinarily challenging situations, which you're not in control of. But that's not to say that I wouldn't have given it my best shot had I won.'

Asked if she would go for the leadership again if it was available, she said: “Never say never.”

Elsewhere, Ms Forbes told the West Highland Free Press she was “incredibly reluctant” to stand again but added: “The only reason I would not say never is: who can control the way circumstances unfold? The membership made their decision and I am not sore about it. I respect democracy. The only thing that exercises me is that I think it is high time we had a Highlander at the helm.”

The MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch – who is a member of the socially conservative Free Church of Scotland – faced strong criticism at the start of her leadership campaign after she said she would not have voted for gay marriage. The comments led to her losing support from key backers.