SNP leadership race: What will SNP members make of Kate Forbes's gay marriage views?

Kate Forbes has said her campaign to replace Nicola Sturgeon as first minister is “absolutely not over” amid a backlash over her views on gay marriage.

The finance secretary, who is one of three hopefuls vying for the top job, said her conscience would not have allowed her to vote in favour of same-sex marriage, which passed in Holyrood in 2014, if she had been an MSP at the time.

Ms Forbes is a committed Christian and member of the socially conservative Free Church of Scotland.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A number of her early supporters have now withdrawn their backing, including prominent figures such as public finance minister Tom Arthur, minister for children Clare Haughey and health committee convener Gillian Martin.

Kate ForbesKate Forbes
Kate Forbes

Asked if her campaign was over before it began, Ms Forbes told the BBC: “Absolutely not. We have a large party membership, most of whom are not on Twitter. I understand people have very strong views on these matters. I think the public are longing for politicians to answer straight questions with straight answers and that’s certainly what I’ve tried to do in the media yesterday. That doesn’t necessarily allow for much nuance.

“My position on these matters is that I will defend to the hilt everybody’s rights in a pluralistic and tolerant society, to live and to love free of harassment and fear.”

But what will SNP members make of her views? They are the ones who will choose the next party leader and first minister.

Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London, has previously commissioned YouGov to carry out a number of party member surveys. In 2017, just after the election, this included asking about equal marriage. The results will worry Ms Forbes and her team.

The survey of 1,009 SNP members, carried out between June 21 and July 26, 2017, found 83 per cent said they supported the introduction of legislation allowing for gay marriage, with 62 per cent strongly supporting it. Just 5 per cent opposed it, while 12 per cent had no feelings either way.

Younger members were more likely to strongly support the legislation than older members. But even among the over-60s, 75 per cent were supportive.

Mr Bale said it was likely SNP members would only have become more supportive in the intervening years.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The SNP has around 100,000 members. Polling conducted shortly after the 2019 general election found they were largely middle class, left-wing and relatively socially liberal. There was a 58:42 male: female split and 71 per cent were over 50, with 26 per cent aged 25-49.

Comments

 0 comments

Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article.