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The National
5 days ago
- Business
- The National
From rising star to Deputy FM – Kate Forbes' career in brief
The Deputy First Minister was selected to contest the Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch constituency in 2026, but now the party will have to rerun the contest and find a new candidate. Party members and politicians expressed shock at the news, while opposition politicians used it as an excuse to take shots at the SNP. Forbes was first elected to Holyrood in 2016, aged 26, having previously worked as an accountant in the banking industry and for former MSP Dave Thompson in the same constituency. READ MORE: Kate Forbes to quit Holyrood in 2026 – read her statements in full The MSP studied history at Cambridge before completing an MSc in diaspora and migration history at the University of Edinburgh. Born in Dingwall, she spent part of her childhood in India and Glasgow, and attended a Gaelic school. She quickly rose through the ranks, first as public finance minister in 2018 before becoming Scotland's first female finance secretary under Nicola Sturgeon in 2020. Forbes was praised for delivering the budget speech at short notice, taking on the role the night before after her predecessor Derek Mackay was forced to stand down when it emerged he had sent inappropriate messages to a teenager. During her time as a backbencher, she delivered the first speech in the Holyrood chamber entirely in Gaelic, later becoming the first Cabinet Secretary for the language, alongside responsibilities for the economy, when she was appointed DFM. (Image: PA) Forbes narrowly lost out on the SNP leadership contest after Sturgeon resigned to Humza Yousaf, who is also set to leave [[Holyrood]] when the parliamentary term ends. She fought the contest while on maternity leave, coming second in the first round of voting with 40.7%, to Yousaf's 48.2%. The second round saw Yousaf win with 52.1%, compared to Forbes' 47.9%. During the campaign, Forbes came under fire for her views on abortion, gay marriage and trans rights. A member of the Free Church of Scotland, she said that having children outside of marriage was 'wrong' and that she would not have supported equal marriage as a 'matter of conscience'. Forbes was on maternity leave while the Scottish Parliament voted on the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill, which would have allowed transgender people to self-identify. In 2019, she joined 15 other SNP politicians in writing an open letter to Sturgeon calling for a delay to the reforms, and would later reiterate her concerns during the leadership campaign. READ MORE: Keith Brown: UK can't ignore independence demand with SNP majority On independence, she said during the contest that the party should use the Westminster election to win a mandate and demand powers to allow a referendum to go ahead. After the contest, she told the New Statesman she would have been 'haunted' if she had not stayed true to her religious beliefs during the campaign. Leaving the cabinet in 2023 after Yousaf offered her the rural affairs brief, seen as a major demotion by some, Forbes spent a year on the backbenches. When Yousaf resigned as first minister, following the collapse of the Bute House Agreement with the Scottish Greens, Forbes took on the deputy first minister role when John Swinney took over leadership of the party and government. She was given responsibilities for the economy and [[Gaelic]], and last week welcomed the approval of a massive offshore wind farm off the coast of East Lothian. Forbes had been considered a potential successor to Swinney, prior to her shock announcement and will continue in her MSP role for the next nine months. She added on social media that despite standing down, she is looking forward to campaigning at the election to 'lead Scotland to independence'.

The National
5 days ago
- Business
- The National
Who is Kate Forbes? Deputy First Minister standing down at election
The Deputy First Minister was selected to contest the Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch constituency in 2026, but now the party will have to rerun the contest and find a new candidate. Party members and politicians expressed shock at the news, while opposition politicians used it as an excuse to take shots at the SNP. Forbes was first elected to Holyrood in 2016, aged 26, having previously worked as an accountant in the banking industry and for former MSP Dave Thompson in the same constituency. READ MORE: Kate Forbes to quit Holyrood in 2026 – read her statements in full The MSP studied history at Cambridge before completing an MSc in diaspora and migration history at the University of Edinburgh. Born in Dingwall, she spent part of her childhood in India and Glasgow, and attended a Gaelic school. She quickly rose through the ranks, first as public finance minister in 2018 before becoming Scotland's first female finance secretary under Nicola Sturgeon in 2020. Forbes was praised for delivering the budget speech at short notice, taking on the role the night before after her predecessor Derek Mackay was forced to stand down when it emerged he had sent inappropriate messages to a teenager. During her time as a backbencher, she delivered the first speech in the Holyrood chamber entirely in Gaelic, later becoming the first Cabinet Secretary for the language, alongside responsibilities for the economy, when she was appointed DFM. (Image: PA) Forbes narrowly lost out on the SNP leadership contest after Sturgeon resigned to Humza Yousaf, who is also set to leave [[Holyrood]] when the parliamentary term ends. She fought the contest while on maternity leave, coming second in the first round of voting with 40.7%, to Yousaf's 48.2%. The second round saw Yousaf win with 52.1%, compared to Forbes' 47.9%. During the campaign, Forbes came under fire for her views on abortion, gay marriage and trans rights. A member of the Free Church of Scotland, she said that having children outside of marriage was 'wrong' and that she would not have supported equal marriage as a 'matter of conscience'. Forbes was on maternity leave while the Scottish Parliament voted on the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill, which would have allowed transgender people to self-identify. In 2019, she joined 15 other SNP politicians in writing an open letter to Sturgeon calling for a delay to the reforms, and would later reiterate her concerns during the leadership campaign. READ MORE: Keith Brown: UK can't ignore independence demand with SNP majority On independence, she said during the contest that the party should use the Westminster election to win a mandate and demand powers to allow a referendum to go ahead. After the contest, she told the New Statesman she would have been 'haunted' if she had not stayed true to her religious beliefs during the campaign. Leaving the cabinet in 2023 after Yousaf offered her the rural affairs brief, seen as a major demotion by some, Forbes spent a year on the backbenches. When Yousaf resigned as first minister, following the collapse of the Bute House Agreement with the Scottish Greens, Forbes took on the deputy first minister role when John Swinney took over leadership of the party and government. She was given responsibilities for the economy and [[Gaelic]], and last week welcomed the approval of a massive offshore wind farm off the coast of East Lothian. Forbes had been considered a potential successor to Swinney, prior to her shock announcement and will continue in her MSP role for the next nine months. She added on social media that despite standing down, she is looking forward to campaigning at the election to 'lead Scotland to independence'.


The Herald Scotland
13-06-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Defections are ‘good thing', claims Badenoch
The shift comes after the party surged in the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse Holyrood by-election, rising to third and coming close to the SNP in the seat, won by Labour's Davy Russell. Ms Badenoch spoke on Friday (Andrew Milligan/PA) But despite the perceived threat to the Tories from Reform, Ms Badenoch said she did not have an issue with people leaving for the party. 'Reform are not a centre-right party,' she told journalists at the Scottish Tory conference. 'This is a party that's talking about nationalising oil and gas. 'This is a party that wants to increase benefits at a time when the benefits bill is so high. 'So if Nigel Farage is taking out of the Conservative Party the people who are not Conservatives, then I'm quite fine with that. 'One of the things that we ned to do is make sure that people see an authentic Conservative Party, we don't want people who want nationalisation and more benefits.' The Reform UK leader is a 'threat to the union', Ms Badenoch said (Jeff Moore/PA) She later added: 'If offering a very, very clear kind of conservatism is now sending out the people from our party who don't believe in our values in the long run, that's a good thing. 'There is no point in us just accumulating lots of people who don't believe in conservatism just so we can win, then when we get into government, we can't govern. 'That's what we saw happen before, that's what we're seeing with Labour, they don't have a plan. 'They just had a plan to win elections and now they're going round and round in circles. 'We want to have people who believe in our agenda, not just people who want to be politicians.' The Tory leader also hit out at former Tory MSP Jamie Greene – who defected to the Lib Dems earlier this year, attacking his support for the Scottish Government's controversial – and ultimately blocked – gender reforms. 'How anyone could have supported what was obviously a mad piece of legislation and think themselves a Conservative is beyond me,' she said. Former party leader Jackson Carlaw and current health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane both also backed the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill. Speaking as she made her first appearance at the Scottish Tory conference since taking over as leader, Ms Badenoch declared Nigel Farage a 'threat to the union'. 'If he wants the SNP to have another five years, then that is a threat to the union,' she said. She pointed to an interview Mr Farage gave to the Times earlier this year where he suggested his party could side with the SNP ahead of Labour, but he added that Scotland was 'not going to leave the United Kingdom, it's not going to happen in a month of Sundays'. In her speech, the Tory leader said: 'In April this year, Nigel Farage said he would be fine with the SNP winning another five years in power. 'He's fine with another five years of higher bills, longer waiting lists, declining school standards, gender madness, and ultimately, independence.' Addressing members of the party, she said 'Scottish people deserve better' than another five years of the SNP – the party currently leading in the polls ahead of next year's election – while also announcing her party would scrap the windfall tax on oil and gas if it wins back power at the next UK-wide vote. While the SNP may be in the lead, some polls suggest Reform could beat Labour to second place and push the Tories to fourth. A pleasure welcoming @KemiBadenoch to Scottish Tory conference. Together, we're fighting for a common-sense future for our country 🇬🇧🏴#SCC25 — Russell Findlay MSP (@RussellFindlay1) June 13, 2025 'In April this year, Nigel Farage said he would be fine with the SNP winning another five years in power,' she said in her speech. 'He's fine with another five years of higher bills, longer waiting lists, declining school standards, gender madness, and ultimately, independence.' Addressing her first Scottish conference since taking on the top job, Ms Badenoch claimed: 'Reform will vote to let the SNP in, Conservatives will only ever vote to get the nationalists out.' Part of her 'positive vision of the future' includes 'standing up' for the North Sea oil and gas industry, with Mrs Badenoch claiming that by increasing the energy profits levy – also known as the windfall tax – the Tories had introduced, Labour is 'killing the oil and gas industry'. Speaking about the levy, she said: 'Frankly if it is allowed to remain in place until 2030, as is Labour's current plan, there will be no industry left to tax. 'Thousands will have been made unemployed and all the while we import more gas from overseas – from the very same basin in which we are banned from drilling.' She called on the UK Government to remove the energy profits levy, as she added that the Tories would also 'scrap the ban on new licences' for oil and gas developments that has been imposed since Labour came to power. 'We will champion our own industry,' Mrs Badenoch told supporters. 'We will let this great British, great Scottish industry thrive, grow and create jobs – ensuring our energy security for generations to come and making Scotland richer in the process.'


Daily Record
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Daily Record
John Swinney refuses to say if trans women are women after supreme court decision
Scotland's First Minister John Swinney has repeatedly refused to say whether he believes transgender women are women. At a cross-party summit aimed at tackling the far-right, John Swinney said that the definition of a woman had been 'settled' by the UK Supreme Court. Last week, the UK's top judges ruled the terms 'woman' and 'sex' in the Equality Act 2010 'refer to a biological woman and biological sex' as campaign group For Women Scotland won its case against the Scottish Government over the definition. During Wednesday's press conference, the cross-party panel was asked whether they believe a transgender woman is a woman, in light of the ruling. The First Minister suggested he did not have time to answer the question, saying: 'I don't think we've got space for us all to answer. There will be plenty of opportunities for that.' Pressed later on the issue , he added: 'That issue has been settled by the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court has given us the basis of law for that to be the case and that's what I accept.' He said changes to regulations in Scotland will now take place in light of the judgment, although he did not say when. The First Minister also condemned comments from Scottish Green MSP Maggie Chapman in which she accused the Supreme Court of ' bigotry , prejudice and hatred' over its ruling. Alba MSP Ash Regan , who was also on the panel, said the landmark court judgment showed 'trans women are not really women'. The former SNP minister – who quit over her objections to the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill – said she was 'disappointed' by the Scottish Government's response to the Supreme Court judgment. She called on ministers to apologise for the ' nonsense that has been perpetrated on to the country'. Scottish Green co-leader Patrick Harvie, who appeared on the panel alongside his fellow co-leader Lorna Slater, said he does believe a trans woman is a woman. Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton and Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar did not answer the question. This comes a day after Sir Keir Starmer said a woman is an 'adult female' as he appeared to U-turn on his previous stance on trans rights. In his first public comments since the justices' decision on April 16, the Prime Minister said he is 'really pleased' with the clarity that the court's ruling offers. In March 2022, before entering No 10, Sir Keir said 'a woman is a female adult, and in addition to that trans women are women, and that is not just my view – that is actually the law'. But asked on Tuesday to repeat his previous statement that 'trans women are women', he said: 'I think the Supreme Court has answered that question.' Asked if that means he does not believe a transgender woman is a woman, he said: 'A woman is an adult female, and the court has made that absolutely clear. I actually welcome the judgment because I think it gives real clarity. It allows those that have got to draw up guidance to be really clear about what that guidance should say. 'So I think it's important that we see the judgment for what it is. It's a welcome step forward. It's real clarity in an area where we did need clarity, I'm pleased it's come about. We need to move and make sure that we now ensure that all guidance is in the right place according to that judgment.' John Swinney's comments come as he spoke out against the 'hostility' experienced by female politicians – saying some of the MSPs quitting Holyrood will have been 'absolutely and totally undermined' by such behaviour. With a number of high-profile women SNP MSPs stepping down at next year's Scottish Parliament election, the First Minister said some of those who were leaving 'are deciding they have done their stint'. Former first minister Nicola Sturgeon , the current Scottish Finance Secretary Shona Robison, Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop and Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon are among those who have announced they will not run again next year. Mr Swinney said some of those not standing may be 'finding the challenges' with the 'different balances of life' that come with being an elected politician . But he added: 'I think there are some people who are absolutely and totally undermined by the level of hostility they have got to endure in public life.' The First Minister stressed that such issues will 'not be unique' to the SNP, and Scottish Green co-leader Lorna Slater said that women running for elected office were potentially putting their lives at risk.


The Herald Scotland
22-04-2025
- Health
- The Herald Scotland
Somerville cannot say when new guidance on single-sex spaces will be issued
It comes after the Scottish Government lost a high-profile court case against the campaign group For Women Scotland. Britain's top judges ruled on Wednesday the terms 'woman' and 'sex' in the Equality Act 2010 'refer to a biological woman and biological sex'. The Scottish Government lost its court case against group For Women Scotland on the definition of a woman (Lucy North/PA) In a statement to the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday, the Social Justice Secretary reassured MSPs that new guidance will be issued to public bodies in line with the verdict. She said the Scottish Government fully accepts the unanimous judgment of the court. She also told MSPs that the Government had 'no plans' to bring back the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill, which aimed to make it easier for trans people to change their legally recognised gender. And she reiterated comments from the UK Supreme Court judges, which warned against interpreting its ruling as a win for any one group over another. We accept the Supreme Court judgment and will now engage with @EHRC as they review their guidance. @scotgov remain fully committed to supporting and protecting the rights of women and girls and LGBTQI+ people. — Scot Gov Fairer (@ScotGovFairer) April 17, 2025 'The Scottish Government does, of course, accept the judgment of the Supreme Court,' she said. 'It is a significant legal ruling and it is right that we take time to consider it.' Ms Somerville added that it was 'important to recognise the tone and the temperature of the surrounding debate'. 'It should be clear to all of us in this chamber, regardless of our view on any of those matters, including the judgment last Wednesday, that it has had a very significant impact on people,' she added. Supreme Court judges warned people against interpreting its verdict as a win for one group over another (Aaron Chown/PA) The minister said she would meet with the EHRC alongside the Health Secretary, as it aims to give out fresh guidance on the issue in the summer. But she added: 'Because I am still waiting for that meeting with the EHRC on the timetable, I am not in a position to be able to see when guidance will be updated across government, because I think it is very important I hear from the EHRC directly first, rather than just listening to what I have read in the press.' Ms Somerville said transgender people have experienced 'real anxiety' since the Supreme Court ruling. She told Holyrood that she spoke to those affected in the wake of the ruling, saying: 'Stakeholders that represent trans and non-binary people are reporting real anxiety from their networks and service users and concerns about their daily lives. Shirley-Anne Somerville said the verdict would cause 'anxiety' to Scotland's trans community (Lesley Martin/PA) 'It is significant that the Supreme Court stated that their judgment that the rights of the trans community are enshrined in law, and I want to reassure our trans community that you are valued and the Scottish Government is fully committed to protecting everyone's rights and that includes your community.' Ms Somerville said she attempted to meet with For Women Scotland but they refused, although campaigners say the group were only invited at 6pm on the day of the judgment for a meeting the following morning. Speaking after her statement, the Scottish Conservatives urged the Scottish Government to permanently abandon any plans for gender reforms, which they described as 'harmful'. Russell Findlay, the party's leader, said First Minister John Swinney was 'right behind' his party's gender reforms. Trust in politics has been shattered by the SNP's gender policies – particularly among women and girls. Now they should show some humility and scrap their divisive gender self-ID agenda for good. — Scottish Conservatives (@ScotTories) April 22, 2025 He called on the SNP leader to apologise to women. He said: 'John Swinney wants to distance himself from it all but as Nicola Sturgeon's deputy and her strongest ally, he was right behind it. 'He was willing to sacrifice women's rights, including the rights to single-sex spaces and services.' He added: 'So, in light of the momentous Supreme Court judgment, John Swinney owes an apology to the people of Scotland, but especially to women. 'This harmful ideology must now be rooted out of our entire public sector, schools, prisons, hospitals and policing. 'Far too much time in taxpayers' money has been wasted in this already. The country needs to move on'. Scottish Labour Party deputy leader Dame Jackie Baillie said the Scottish Government got ahead of the law (Jane Barlow/PA) Dame Jackie Baillie, the deputy Scottish Labour leader, said the Government had got 'ahead of the law' by issuing guidance on single-sex spaces that was not in line with legislation. She said: 'The Scottish Government, though, has got itself into a position where it has encouraged practice to get ahead of the law. Guidance has been issued by the Government to a range of public bodies, including the NHS, which now needs to be revised, and this will be at considerable cost to those organisations in both time and money.' Scottish Green MSP Maggie Chapman warned of the impact the judgment may have on trans people in the UK. 'Trans people want to be able to live their lives like any of us, without fear of prejudice or violence,' she said, 'but they are concerned about how their lives will be affected, including access to healthcare and other essential services.'