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Kate Elizabeth Forbes (born 6 April 1990) is a Scottish politician who has served as
Deputy First Minister of Scotland The deputy first minister of Scotland is the second highest minister in the executive branch of the Scottish Government, after the First Minister of Scotland, first minister of Scotland. The post-holder deputises for the first minister during ...
and
Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Gaelic The Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Gaelic is a position in the Scottish cabinet since May 2024. The current Cabinet Secretary is Kate Forbes, who has served since May 2024 alongside her role as Deputy First Minister. The Cabinet Secretary is ...
since May 2024. A member of the
Scottish National Party The Scottish National Party (SNP; ) is a Scottish nationalist and social democratic party. The party holds 61 of the 129 seats in the Scottish Parliament, and holds 9 out of the 57 Scottish seats in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, ...
(SNP), she previously served as
Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government (), commonly referred to as the Finance Secretary, is a member of the Cabinet in the Scottish Government. The Cabinet Secretary has Ministerial responsibility for the Scottish Government's ...
from 2020 to 2023. Forbes has been
Member of the Scottish Parliament Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP; ; ) is the title given to any one of the 129 individuals elected to serve in the Scottish Parliament. Electoral system The additional member system produces a form of proportional representation, where ...
(MSP) for
Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament ( Holyrood) covering part of the Highland council area. It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) by the first past the post method of election. It is also one ...
since 2016. Born in
Dingwall Dingwall (, ) is a town and a royal burgh in the Highland (council area), Highland council area of Scotland. It has a population of 5,491. It was an east-coast harbour that now lies inland. Dingwall Castle was once the biggest castle north ...
, Forbes was raised in India and Scotland and was educated at a Scottish Gaelic-medium school, where she became fluent in
Scottish Gaelic Scottish Gaelic (, ; Endonym and exonym, endonym: ), also known as Scots Gaelic or simply Gaelic, is a Celtic language native to the Gaels of Scotland. As a member of the Goidelic language, Goidelic branch of Celtic, Scottish Gaelic, alongs ...
. She earned a BA degree in history at
Selwyn College, Cambridge Selwyn College, Cambridge is a Colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college was founded in 1882 by the Selwyn Memorial Committee in memory of George Selwyn (bishop of Lichfield), Georg ...
, and then an MSc in diaspora and migration history from the
University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh (, ; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals) is a Public university, public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Founded by the City of Edinburgh Council, town council under th ...
. After completing her degree, Forbes worked for a short time in the
Scottish Parliament The Scottish Parliament ( ; ) is the Devolution in the United Kingdom, devolved, unicameral legislature of Scotland. It is located in the Holyrood, Edinburgh, Holyrood area of Edinburgh, and is frequently referred to by the metonym 'Holyrood'. ...
as a researcher for the SNP MSP Dave Thompson. Forbes was elected as an MSP at the
2016 Scottish Parliament election The 2016 Scottish parliament election was held on Thursday, 5 May 2016 to elect 129 members to the Scottish Parliament. It was the fifth Next Scottish Parliament election, election held since the devolved parliament was established in 1999. It ...
and quickly rose within the SNP.
Nicola Sturgeon Nicola Ferguson Sturgeon (born 19 July 1970) is a Scottish politician who served as First Minister of Scotland and Leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) from 2014 to 2023. She has served as a member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) sin ...
appointed Forbes as Minister for Public Finance and Digital Economy, serving as the deputy to the Finance Secretary, Derek Mackay. After Mackay resigned, Forbes was appointed Finance Secretary by Sturgeon. Her tenure was dominated by the
COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland The COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland is part of the COVID-19 pandemic of COVID-19, coronavirus disease-2019, caused by the virus Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, SARS-CoV-2. The first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in Scotland on 1 M ...
and its economic impact, and the cost of living crisis in the UK. On announcement of Sturgeon's intention to resign as
party leader In a governmental system, a party leader acts as the official representative of their political party, either to a legislature or to the electorate. Depending on the country, the individual colloquially referred to as the "leader" of a politica ...
and
first minister A first minister is any of a variety of leaders of government cabinets. The term literally has the same meaning as "prime minister" but is typically chosen to distinguish the office-holder from a superior prime minister. Currently the title of ' ...
, Forbes announced her candidacy for leader in the 2023 leadership election. This leadership bid drew significant attention due to her membership of the Free Church of Scotland, an evangelical
Calvinist Reformed Christianity, also called Calvinism, is a major branch of Protestantism that began during the 16th-century Protestant Reformation. In the modern day, it is largely represented by the Continental Reformed Protestantism, Continenta ...
denomination with
socially conservative Social conservatism is a political philosophy and a variety of conservatism which places emphasis on traditional social structures over social pluralism. Social conservatives organize in favor of duty, traditional values and social institu ...
positions, and her religious views on
sexual ethics Sexual ethics (also known as sex ethics or sexual morality) is a branch of philosophy that considers the ethics or morality of Human sexual behaviour, sexual behavior. Sexual ethics seeks to understand, evaluate and critique interpersonal relatio ...
, including disavowal of sexual intercourse before marriage, rejection of
same-sex marriage Same-sex marriage, also known as gay marriage, is the marriage of two people of the same legal Legal sex and gender, sex. marriage between same-sex couples is legally performed and recognized in 38 countries, with a total population of 1.5 ...
, and opposition to most forms of
abortion Abortion is the early termination of a pregnancy by removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus. Abortions that occur without intervention are known as miscarriages or "spontaneous abortions", and occur in roughly 30–40% of all pregnan ...
. She lost the election to
Humza Yousaf Humza Haroon Yousaf (; born 7 April 1985) is a Scottish politician who served as First Minister of Scotland and Leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) from March 2023 to May 2024. He served under his predecessor Nicola Sturgeon as Scottish ...
, taking 47.9 per cent of the vote to his 52.1 per cent in the final ballot. She subsequently left government to sit as a
backbencher In Westminster system, Westminster and other parliamentary systems, a backbencher is a member of parliament (MP) or a legislator who occupies no Minister (government), governmental office and is not a Frontbencher, frontbench spokesperson ...
. Following Yousaf's resignation in April 2024, Forbes was touted as a potential candidate to succeed him in the 2024 SNP leadership election but she ultimately chose not to stand and endorsed
John Swinney John Ramsay Swinney (born 13 April 1964) is a Scottish politician who has served as First Minister of Scotland, first minister of Scotland since 2024. Swinney has served as Leader of the Scottish National Party, leader of the Scottish National ...
. After Swinney became First Minister in May 2024, he appointed Forbes as Deputy First Minister of Scotland and Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Gaelic in his government.


Early life and career


Early life

Kate Elizabeth Forbes was born in
Dingwall Dingwall (, ) is a town and a royal burgh in the Highland (council area), Highland council area of Scotland. It has a population of 5,491. It was an east-coast harbour that now lies inland. Dingwall Castle was once the biggest castle north ...
in
Ross and Cromarty Ross and Cromarty (), is an area in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. In modern usage, it is a registration county and a Lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area. Between 1889 and 1975 it was a Shires of Scotland, county. Historical ...
, Scotland on 6 April 1990. She is the eldest of four siblings: her mother is a teacher and her father is an accountant. Her parents were
missionaries A missionary is a member of a religious group who is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Thomas Hale 'On Being a Miss ...
for the evangelical Free Church of Scotland. She spent her early years in the village of
Marybank Marybank is a small village in Ross-shire, Scottish Highlands and is in the Scottish council area of Highland. The village of Muir of Ord lies south east of Marybank, along the A832 road. The village of Contin Contin ( Gaelic: Cunndainn) ...
, where her parents ran a small business. At an early age, Forbes moved to India for three years, where her father worked for various religious charities to provide healthcare to people who could not afford it. Forbes' father later studied for a
PhD A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, DPhil; or ) is a terminal degree that usually denotes the highest level of academic achievement in a given discipline and is awarded following a course of graduate study and original research. The name of the deg ...
in the Indian Stock Exchange and managed hospitals, relying on charitable donations because he made no income.


Education

She returned to Scotland and was taught in a Scottish Gaelic school, where she became fluent in the language. She returned to India when she was ten and studied at Woodstock School in the foothills of the
Himalayas The Himalayas, or Himalaya ( ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the Earth's highest peaks, including the highest, Mount Everest. More than list of h ...
. Forbes returned to Scotland, this time in
Glasgow Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...
, at the age of 15 where she attended a secondary school in the city before moving back to the
Highlands Highland is a broad term for areas of higher elevation, such as a mountain range or mountainous plateau. Highland, Highlands, or The Highlands, may also refer to: Places Africa * Highlands, Johannesburg, South Africa * Highlands, Harare, Zimbab ...
to finish her schooling at
Dingwall Academy Dingwall Academy is the largest secondary school in the Highlands of Scotland, with an enrolment of 1,048 pupils as of August 2018. The academy is situated in the centre of Dingwall and brings in pupils from Conon Bridge, Maryburgh, Muir of O ...
. Forbes attended
Selwyn College, Cambridge Selwyn College, Cambridge is a Colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college was founded in 1882 by the Selwyn Memorial Committee in memory of George Selwyn (bishop of Lichfield), Georg ...
, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in History in 2011. She then studied at the
University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh (, ; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals) is a Public university, public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Founded by the City of Edinburgh Council, town council under th ...
, where she gained a
Master of Science A Master of Science (; abbreviated MS, M.S., MSc, M.Sc., SM, S.M., ScM or Sc.M.) is a master's degree. In contrast to the Master of Arts degree, the Master of Science degree is typically granted for studies in sciences, engineering and medici ...
in
Diaspora A diaspora ( ) is a population that is scattered across regions which are separate from its geographic place of birth, place of origin. The word is used in reference to people who identify with a specific geographic location, but currently resi ...
and Migration History in 2013.


Early career

Forbes joined the
Scottish National Party The Scottish National Party (SNP; ) is a Scottish nationalist and social democratic party. The party holds 61 of the 129 seats in the Scottish Parliament, and holds 9 out of the 57 Scottish seats in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, ...
(SNP) in 2011, having previously been active in the party's youth wing the Young Scots for Independence. After graduating, Forbes worked in the
Scottish Parliament The Scottish Parliament ( ; ) is the Devolution in the United Kingdom, devolved, unicameral legislature of Scotland. It is located in the Holyrood, Edinburgh, Holyrood area of Edinburgh, and is frequently referred to by the metonym 'Holyrood'. ...
in 2011 as a researcher for Dave Thompson, the SNP MSP for
Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament ( Holyrood) covering part of the Highland council area. It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) by the first past the post method of election. It is also one ...
. In February 2023,
openDemocracy openDemocracy is an independent media platform and news website based in the United Kingdom. Founded in 2001, openDemocracy states that through reporting and analysis of social and political issues, they seek to "challenge power and encourage d ...
revealed her first, year-long job as a researcher was funded by Christian Action, Research and Education, which is known for its opposition to
abortion Abortion is the early termination of a pregnancy by removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus. Abortions that occur without intervention are known as miscarriages or "spontaneous abortions", and occur in roughly 30–40% of all pregnan ...
and
LGBT rights Rights affecting lesbian, Gay men, gay, Bisexuality, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) people vary greatly by country or jurisdiction—encompassing everything from the legal recognition of same-sex marriage to the Capital punishmen ...
. Forbes later studied to qualify (qualifying after she was elected in 2016) as a chartered accountant and worked at
Barclays Barclays PLC (, occasionally ) is a British multinational universal bank, headquartered in London, England. Barclays operates as two divisions, Barclays UK and Barclays International, supported by a service company, Barclays Execution Services ...
for two years as a trainee graduate accountant.


Member of the Scottish Parliament (2016–present)


Election (2015–2016)

In August 2015, Forbes was selected from an all-women shortlist by local SNP members as their candidate for the
Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament ( Holyrood) covering part of the Highland council area. It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) by the first past the post method of election. It is also one ...
constituency held by Dave Thompson who would not be standing at the next election. She was part of an SNP campaign to address the
gender pay gap The gender pay gap or gender wage gap is the average difference between the remuneration for men and women who are Employment, employed. Women are generally found to be paid less than men. There are two distinct measurements of the pay gap: non ...
around employment in the Highlands. She was elected in the
2016 Scottish Parliament election The 2016 Scottish parliament election was held on Thursday, 5 May 2016 to elect 129 members to the Scottish Parliament. It was the fifth Next Scottish Parliament election, election held since the devolved parliament was established in 1999. It ...
, doubling the majority from her predecessor from 4995 to 9045.


Backbencher (2016–2018)

As a backbencher, Forbes was Convener of the Scottish Parliament's Cross-Party Group on Gaelic. She served on the Scottish Parliament’s Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee, the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee, the Health and Sport Committee and the Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee. She also served as Parliamentary Liaison Officer for Finance and the Constitution. In 2017, Forbes launched The Final Straw, a national campaign to ban the use of plastic straws in Scotland. The campaign was supported by the
Marine Conservation Society The Marine Conservation Society is a UK-based charitable organisation working with businesses, governments and communities to clean and protect oceans. Founded in 1978 as the Underwater Conservation Society, the group claims to be working towards ...
. Forbes wrote to all of Scotland's 32 councils to support the campaign, with
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar for, gd, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, italic=no, Council of the Western Isles, paren=left; ) is the Local government in Scotland, local authority for ''Na h-Eileanan an Iar'' (the Western Isles, also known as the Outer Hebrides), one of the 32 co ...
being the first Scottish council to pledge to go plastic straw-free. Her campaign was successful after a ban of single-use plastic was introduced in August 2022.In March 2018, she delivered an entire speech to the parliament in Gaelic during a plenary debate on the language. She has spoken in favour of UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage status as a possible way to protect the language. She campaigned for local issues, such as increasing the number of foster carers in the Highlands, and raised concerns of a lack of teachers in specialist subjects in the Highlands. In May 2018, Forbes called on the government to let children practise religious belief in school without mockery, saying "I wanted to note that pupils should be allowed to explore, develop and understand the diversity of religious faith in Scotland, because if they can understand it in school you will hope that as they go through the rest of their life they will be tolerant of people who believe that things are different to them." Forbes was awarded " One to Watch" at the 2018 Scottish Politician of the Year awards, having been nominated the previous year.


Sturgeon government (2018–2023)


Deputy Finance Secretary (2018–2020)

On 27 June 2018, she was appointed to the Scottish Government as Minister for Public Finance and Digital Economy, as part of a wider reshuffle announced by First Minister,
Nicola Sturgeon Nicola Ferguson Sturgeon (born 19 July 1970) is a Scottish politician who served as First Minister of Scotland and Leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) from 2014 to 2023. She has served as a member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) sin ...
. She supported the
Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Economy and Fair Work The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government (), commonly referred to as the Finance Secretary, is a member of the Cabinet in the Scottish Government. The Cabinet Secretary has Ministerial responsibility for the Scottish Government's ...
. In September 2018, The David Hume Institute reported that the government had made "no progress" on improving productivity in workplaces; Forbes commented that "over the last decade, productivity in Scotland has grown at more than three times the rate it has across the UK as a whole". In 2018, Forbes reiterated the SNP's commitment to 100 per cent broadband coverage throughout Scotland; the original 2021 completion target was later put back. Forbes opposed the proposal to devolve
business rates Rates are a tax on property in the United Kingdom used to fund local government. Business rates are collected throughout the United Kingdom. Domestic rates are collected in Northern Ireland and were collected in England and Wales before 1990 and i ...
to Scottish councils.


2020 Scottish Budget

On 6 February 2020, the day of the 2020 Scottish Budget, Derek Mackay resigned as the finance secretary, after the ''Scottish Sun'' reported he had inappropriately messaged a 16-year-old boy on
social media Social media are interactive technologies that facilitate the Content creation, creation, information exchange, sharing and news aggregator, aggregation of Content (media), content (such as ideas, interests, and other forms of expression) amongs ...
. Forbes was left to deliver the budget within hours of preparation. Prior to this, no woman had delivered a Budget in either the Scottish Parliament or Westminster. Due to the late delivery of the UK Budget, Forbes raised concerns of the impact this would have on the passing of the Scottish Budget and told the Scottish Parliament there would be a very brief period for MSPs to scrutinise it. In the budget, she announced there would be no changes to income tax rates and that the threshold for upper rates will be frozen, calling it the "fairest and most progressive income tax system in the UK".


Cabinet Secretary for Finance (2020–2023)

On 17 February 2020, Forbes was appointed Cabinet Secretary for Finance—the first woman to hold the post. In the 2021 Scottish Parliament election, she was re-elected with a majority of 15,681 votes, 7,000 more than in the previous election. Sturgeon formed her third administration and re-appointed Forbes as Finance Secretary, with economy added to her portfolio, as
Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government (), commonly referred to as the Finance Secretary, is a member of the Cabinet in the Scottish Government. The Cabinet Secretary has Ministerial responsibility for the Scottish Government's ...
. In July 2022,
John Swinney John Ramsay Swinney (born 13 April 1964) is a Scottish politician who has served as First Minister of Scotland, first minister of Scotland since 2024. Swinney has served as Leader of the Scottish National Party, leader of the Scottish National ...
took on responsibility for the Finance and Economy portfolio as Forbes went on
maternity leave Parental leave, or family leave, is an employee benefit available in almost all countries. The term "parental leave" may include maternity, paternity, and adoption leave; or may be used distinctively from "maternity leave" and "paternity leave ...
. She is the first
Cabinet Secretary A cabinet secretary is usually a senior official (typically a civil servant) who provides services and advice to a cabinet of ministers as part of the Cabinet Office. In many countries, the position can have considerably wider functions and powe ...
in the
Scottish Government The Scottish Government (, ) is the executive arm of the devolved government of Scotland. It was formed in 1999 as the Scottish Executive following the 1997 referendum on Scottish devolution, and is headquartered at St Andrew's House in ...
to take maternity leave. Forbes left the Scottish Government in March 2023 after Sturgeon resigned, and new First Minister
Humza Yousaf Humza Haroon Yousaf (; born 7 April 1985) is a Scottish politician who served as First Minister of Scotland and Leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) from March 2023 to May 2024. He served under his predecessor Nicola Sturgeon as Scottish ...
offered her the role of Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands in his Government. This was deemed as a demotion and Forbes rejected Yousaf’s offer, therefore she left government on 28 March 2023.


COVID-19 pandemic

During the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
, the
Bank of England The Bank of England is the central bank of the United Kingdom and the model on which most modern central banks have been based. Established in 1694 to act as the Kingdom of England, English Government's banker and debt manager, and still one ...
ordered a round of quantitative easing to keep UK borrowing affordable and interest rates low. SNP policy is that during the early years of independence Scotland would use sterling without a formal currency union and so would not have a central bank that could perform quantitative easing. In December 2021 Forbes responded to a query on this issue and posed the question, "Would it be such a great loss not to be able to conduct quantitative easing?" When the issue was raised at a session of First Minister's Questions, Forbes' query was labelled "economically illiterate" by Labour MP Ian Murray. Ahead of Christmas 2021 Forbes delivered her budget in which she spoke of "very difficult choices" because of the "acute" problems posed by Covid. All 32 of Scotland's Council leaders wrote to the Scottish Government to complain about Forbes' £371 million cut in real terms to local authority funding. Cosla President Alison Evison said, "Many in the meeting described this settlement for local government as the worst they had seen. Council leaders were clear last night that we could not sit back and simply accept this and there was a real strength of feeling that enough is enough."


2022 Scottish budget

In December 2021, Forbes introduced the 2022 Scottish budget, detailing the government's spending proposals amid the COVID-19 pandemic. It also outlined the recent election win pledges made by the SNP and the policies of the SNP-Green agreement. Forbes laid firm her commitment to keep income tax rates the same, however, the budget increased the thresholds at which it is paid for low income earners. For
Scottish Landfill Tax Scottish Landfill Tax (SLfT) is a tax which is charged in Scotland under the Landfill Tax (Scotland) Act 2014. It replaced the UK Landfill Tax from 1 April 2015. Revenue Scotland administers and collects SLfT with support from the Scottish En ...
, standard rates and lower rates are set to be increased, while land and buildings transaction tax rates will remain at the same level. Forbes announced the council tax freeze, which was imposed last year, would come to an end. This gives councils in Scotland the ability to set their own rates for the first time since the SNP came into power in 2007. The budget set out £1.95bn to begin the delivery of the Adult Disability Payment, with a total £4bn funding into
social security Welfare spending is a type of government support intended to ensure that members of a society can meet basic human needs such as food and shelter. Social security may either be synonymous with welfare, or refer specifically to social insurance ...
. This includes £197M to double the Scottish Child Payment, from £10 to £20.


2023 SNP leadership candidacy

On 15 February 2023, Sturgeon announced her intention to resign as
Leader of the Scottish National Party The leader of the Scottish National Party is the highest position within Scotland's Scottish National Party (SNP). The incumbent is John Swinney, who was elected unopposed in the 2024 Scottish National Party leadership election, 2024 leadership ...
and as
First Minister of Scotland The first minister of Scotland () is the head of government of Scotland. The first minister leads the Scottish Government, the Executive (government), executive branch of the devolved government and is th ...
, which triggered an election within the SNP to choose her successor. Considered a "rising star" by many within her party, Forbes was ranked as an early front-runner by bookmakers. She is a member of the Free Church of Scotland, an
evangelical Evangelicalism (), also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide, interdenominational movement within Protestantism, Protestant Christianity that emphasizes evangelism, or the preaching and spreading of th ...
Calvinist Reformed Christianity, also called Calvinism, is a major branch of Protestantism that began during the 16th-century Protestant Reformation. In the modern day, it is largely represented by the Continental Reformed Protestantism, Continenta ...
denomination with
socially conservative Social conservatism is a political philosophy and a variety of conservatism which places emphasis on traditional social structures over social pluralism. Social conservatives organize in favor of duty, traditional values and social institu ...
positions, such as opposition to abortion and to
same-sex marriage Same-sex marriage, also known as gay marriage, is the marriage of two people of the same legal Legal sex and gender, sex. marriage between same-sex couples is legally performed and recognized in 38 countries, with a total population of 1.5 ...
. Forbes had previously stated that she " akes herown decisions" on issues "according to erfaith, not according to the diktat of any church". Forbes officially launched her candidacy for leader on 20 February, stating she could not "sit back and watch our nation ethwarted on the road to self-determination". Forbes told STV News on 20 February that she would not have supported the Gender Recognition Reform (GRR) bill in its current form and that she did not support challenging the Westminster government's Section 35 order stopping it, instead seeking negotiation with Westminster to agree changes to the bill. In an interview with the BBC, she declared that she would have resigned as finance minister over the GRR bill were she not on maternity leave at the time of its passage. Following Forbes' comment that she did not support same-sex marriage, SNP MSPs who had previously supported her candidacy, including
Richard Lochhead Richard Neilson Lochhead (born 24 May 1969) is a Scottish politician serving as the Minister for Business and Employment since 2023. A member of the Scottish National Party (SNP), he served as the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Food and ...
,
Clare Haughey Clare Joan Haughey (née Donnelly, born April 1967) is a Scottish politician who served as Minister for Children and Young People from 2021 to 2023, having previously served as Minister for Mental Health from 2018 to 2021. A member of the Scot ...
, Tom Arthur,
Gillian Martin Gillian Anne Martin is a Scottish politician who has served as Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy since June 2025. She previously served as Minister for Climate Action between 2023 and 2025, and as Acting Cabinet Secretary for N ...
and
Drew Hendry Andrew Egan Henderson Hendry (born 31 May 1964), known as Drew Hendry, is a Scottish National Party (SNP) politician who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey from 2015 until 2024, when the seat was ...
, withdrew their support. In a Twitter statement released on 23 February, Forbes expressed regret at the "hurt" her comments caused to her "friends, colleagues and fellow citizens". She pledged that she would "protect the rights of everybody in Scotland". A poll released on 25 February 2023 suggested that 23% of Scottish voters preferred Forbes as first minister, compared to 15% who preferred
Humza Yousaf Humza Haroon Yousaf (; born 7 April 1985) is a Scottish politician who served as First Minister of Scotland and Leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) from March 2023 to May 2024. He served under his predecessor Nicola Sturgeon as Scottish ...
and 7% who preferred
Ash Regan Ashten Regan (formerly Denham, born Sarah Jane Regan; 8 March 1974) is a Scottish politician. She has been the Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Edinburgh Eastern since 2016 Scottish Parliament election, 2016. Initially elected to par ...
. The same poll indicated that 20% of 2021 SNP voters preferred Forbes as first minister, compared to 18% for Yousaf and 9% for Regan. In the second round of STV voting in March 2023, Forbes came in second place with 23,890 votes from eligible SNP members, equating to 47.9% of the overall vote-share.


Return to backbenches (2023–2024)

Following Forbes' defeat in the leadership election, newly appointed First Minister
Humza Yousaf Humza Haroon Yousaf (; born 7 April 1985) is a Scottish politician who served as First Minister of Scotland and Leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) from March 2023 to May 2024. He served under his predecessor Nicola Sturgeon as Scottish ...
invited Forbes to serve in his cabinet as rural affairs secretary. Opponents to the Yousaf campaign called this move a demotion, however, Forbes emphasised any role in government was privilege to her. She turned down the offer and instead left government. She remained as an SNP
backbencher In Westminster system, Westminster and other parliamentary systems, a backbencher is a member of parliament (MP) or a legislator who occupies no Minister (government), governmental office and is not a Frontbencher, frontbench spokesperson ...
, where she continued to represent her
Highland Highlands or uplands are areas of high elevation such as a mountainous region, elevated mountainous plateau or high hills. Generally, ''upland'' refers to a range of hills, typically from up to , while ''highland'' is usually reserved for range ...
constituency of
Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament ( Holyrood) covering part of the Highland council area. It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) by the first past the post method of election. It is also one ...
. Forbes was announced as a new
columnist A columnist is a person who writes for publication in a series, creating an article that usually offers commentary and opinions. Column (periodical), Columns appear in newspapers, magazines and other publications, including blogs. They take the ...
for ''The National'' in April 2023. In her first interview since her leadership bid, Forbes told
BBC Radio 4 BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. The station replaced the BBC Home Service on 30 September 1967 and broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes from the BBC's headquarters at Broadcasti ...
the SNP needs to take decisive action amid the party's fraud inquiry by
Police Scotland Police Scotland (), officially the Police Service of Scotland (), is the national police force of Scotland. It was formed in 2013, through the merging of eight regional police forces in Scotland, as well as the specialist services of the Scottis ...
. She described the events that followed Sturgeon's resignation as turmoil for the party. Forbes quoted her leadership slogan of "continuity won't cut it" as she urged for integrity, trust and transparency for voters. Following Yousaf's resignation in April 2024, Forbes was touted as a potential candidate to succeed him in the 2024 SNP leadership election. She announced the following day that she was "seriously considering" running. On 2 May 2024, Forbes announced she would not be a candidate for the SNP Leadership at this time, and backed
John Swinney John Ramsay Swinney (born 13 April 1964) is a Scottish politician who has served as First Minister of Scotland, first minister of Scotland since 2024. Swinney has served as Leader of the Scottish National Party, leader of the Scottish National ...
for the role. Swinney announced Forbes would receive a significant role in his government if elected.


Deputy First Minister (2024–present)


Nomination

Following Swinney's pledge to have Forbes in a significant role in cabinet, she was later appointed the position of Deputy First Minister in the
Swinney government John Swinney formed the Swinney government on 8 May 2024, following his appointment as First Minister of Scotland at the Court of Session. The government was approved by parliamentary vote thanks to the abstention of Green Party of Scotland, Scotti ...
on 8 May 2024. During Swinney's first First Minister's Questions since becoming First Minister, Forbes was criticised by the
Scottish Greens The Scottish Greens (also known as the Scottish Green Party; ) are a green political party in Scotland. The party has 7 MSPs of 129 in the Scottish Parliament, the party holds 35 of the 1226 councillors at Scottish local Government level. The ...
for her views on LGBT rights, gay marriage and abortion. Co-leader of the Scottish Greens,
Patrick Harvie Patrick Harvie (born 18 March 1973) is a Scottish politician who served as Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Active Travel and Tenants' Rights from 2021 to 2024. He has served as one of two co-leaders of the Scottish Greens since 2008, and i ...
, used his parliamentary question time to address Swinney and his decision to appoint Forbes as Deputy First Minister. In his statement to parliament, Harvie claimed that Swinney had given the "second most powerful job in government to someone who has opposed LGBT people’s legal equality, who has expressed judgemental attitudes against abortion, and who has even expressed the view that people who have families without being married are doing something wrong". He further added "is this the Scottish government’s vision for the future of Scotland - taking us back to the repressive values of the 1950s?". In response, Swinney told Harvey that he "wants to lead a modern, dynamic and diverse Scotland". After leaving the chamber, Forbes was asked about the criticism her appointment had received from the Scottish Greens, where she stated that she was "here to support the first minister and together we serve all communities in Scotland as we further and progress the rights of every community in Scotland, and I look forward to doing my part in achieving the government's aims in that regard". Following the results of the
2024 United Kingdom general election The 2024 United Kingdom general election was held on Thursday, 4 July 2024 to elect all 650 members of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, House of Commons. The opposition Labour Party (UK), Labour Party, led by Keir Starmer, won a lan ...
which saw the SNP win 9 out of 57 Scottish Westminster parliamentary seats, Forbes admitted that it was a "difficult night" for the SNP, and publicly endorsed John Swinney as SNP leader moving forward, stating that she supported Swinney to improve the SNP's reputation for "competence and integrity".


Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Gaelic

Forbes was additionally appointed by Swinney as
Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Gaelic The Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Gaelic is a position in the Scottish cabinet since May 2024. The current Cabinet Secretary is Kate Forbes, who has served since May 2024 alongside her role as Deputy First Minister. The Cabinet Secretary is ...
, and was approved by Parliament on 9 May 2024. Her responsibilities for the economy brief include the public corporations of the Scottish Government including
Scottish Enterprise Scottish Enterprise () is a non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government which encourages economic development, Business, enterprise, innovation, international and investment agency, investment in business. The body covers the eastern ...
,
Highlands and Islands Enterprise Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE; ) is the development agency for the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, an executive non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government with the role to "help build a prosperous, sustainable and inclu ...
, South of Scotland Enterprise, the
Scottish National Investment Bank The Scottish National Investment Bank is a Scottish state-owned investment bank, investment and national development bank, national development bank based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Although referred to as a bank, it does not do normal banking op ...
,
Glasgow Prestwick Airport Glasgow Prestwick Airport (), commonly referred to as Prestwick Airport, is an international airport serving the west of Scotland, situated northeast of the town of Prestwick, and southwest of Glasgow, Scotland. It is the less busy of the two ...
,
Ferguson Marine Ferguson Marine (Port Glasgow) Limited is a shipbuilding company whose yard, located in Port Glasgow on the Firth of Clyde in Scotland, was established in 1903. It is the last remaining shipbuilder on the lower Clyde and is currently the only ...
, BiFab and
Caledonian MacBrayne Caledonian MacBrayne (), in short form CalMac, is the trade name of CalMac Ferries Ltd, the major operator of passenger and vehicle ferries to the west coast of Scotland, serving ports on the mainland and 22 of the major islands. It is a subsid ...
. As Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Gaelic, Forbes is supported by both the
Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism and Enterprise The Minister for Business and Employment is a Junior ministerial post in the Scottish Government. As a result, the Minister does not attend the Scottish Cabinet. The post was retitled in June 2025, with the Minister supporting the Deputy First ...
and Minister for Employment and Investment. As Cabinet Secretary for Gaelic, Forbes announced in October 2024 that the Scottish Government would invest £150,000 for several Scottish Gaelic projects and was highly supportive of the establishment of a new
Scottish Gaelic Scottish Gaelic (, ; Endonym and exonym, endonym: ), also known as Scots Gaelic or simply Gaelic, is a Celtic language native to the Gaels of Scotland. As a member of the Goidelic language, Goidelic branch of Celtic, Scottish Gaelic, alongs ...
language centre in
Inverness Inverness (; ; from the , meaning "Mouth of the River Ness") is a city in the Scottish Highlands, having been granted city status in 2000. It is the administrative centre for The Highland Council and is regarded as the capital of the Highland ...
. Forbes claimed that the new centre in Inverness provided the opportunity for Scottish Gaelic speakers to "communicate without the fear of using English" and announced a £370,000 investment from the Scottish Government for the centre.


Progressive taxation

In June 2024, Forbes, as the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Gaelic said that the policy for a progressive taxation system in Scotland was being kept "under review" following suggestions that the policy was discouraging taxpayers and new workers to location or retain business in Scotland. Speaking to '' Holyrood'', Forbes dismissed such claims, using data from
HM Revenue and Customs His Majesty's Revenue and Customs (commonly HM Revenue and Customs, or HMRC, and formerly Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs) is a department of the UK government responsible for the collection of taxes, the payment of some forms of stat ...
(HMRC) which showed that "just over 4,000 more people have come to Scotland than have left". She advocated that "people choose to immigrate to Scotland for a whole host of reasons and it’s very reductionist to assume people purely make decisions on income tax".


Foreign immigration policy

Following the landslide victory for the Labour Party at the
2024 United Kingdom general election The 2024 United Kingdom general election was held on Thursday, 4 July 2024 to elect all 650 members of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, House of Commons. The opposition Labour Party (UK), Labour Party, led by Keir Starmer, won a lan ...
, Forbes confirmed that she would be "pushing" the UK Government and new Prime Minister
Keir Starmer Sir Keir Rodney Starmer (born 2 September 1962) is a British politician and lawyer who has served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom since 2024 and as Leader of the Labour Party (UK), Leader of the Labour Party since 2020. He previously ...
on a separate foreign immigration policy for Scotland. She claimed in an interview that a separate foreign immigration policy for Scotland was "one of the big asks from the business community, and one of the big asks from the social care sector for a different immigration policy for Scotland", further adding that there was "far more positive rhetoric here in Scotland about immigration". First Minister John Swinney and Prime Minister Keir Starmer met for the first time on 6 July 2024 at
Bute House Bute House () is the official residence and workplace of the first minister of Scotland. Located at 6 Charlotte Square in the New Town of Edinburgh, it is the central house on the north side of the square and was designed by Robert Adam. It ...
in Edinburgh. When asked whether the issue of a separate immigration policy for Scotland was discussed, Forbes did not confirm nor deny whether such an issue was discussed between the two governments.


Infrastructure

In October 2024, Forbes announced that the Scottish Government would provide £10 million in investment to allow the creation for a new walking path between
Moffat Moffat is a burgh and parish in Dumfriesshire. Part of the Dumfries and Galloway local authority area in Scotland, it lies on the River Annan, with a population of around 2,500. It was a centre of the wool trade and a spa town. Moffat is arou ...
and
Berwick-upon-Tweed Berwick-upon-Tweed (), sometimes known as Berwick-on-Tweed or simply Berwick, is a town and civil parish in Northumberland, England, south of the Anglo-Scottish border, and the northernmost town in England. The 2011 United Kingdom census recor ...
. The investment from the Scottish Government would be a boost to the already invested £25 million of public investment. Forbes said that the creation of the project would boost tourism in the south of the country, particularly in the
Scottish Borders The Scottish Borders is one of 32 council areas of Scotland. It is bordered by West Lothian, Edinburgh, Midlothian, and East Lothian to the north, the North Sea to the east, Dumfries and Galloway to the south-west, South Lanarkshire to the we ...
, highlighting that the project was an "ambitious programme" which will "capitalise on assets which will allow opportunities to further grow, develop and showcase what the region has to offer". The project is scheduled for completion in 2028.


Aerospace industry

Scotland appointed its first space envoy in October 2024, and in November 2024, Forbes highlighted the importance of the space industry in Scotland, stating that the sector is "strategically important to Scotland’s economy and we have all the key elements to be internationally competitive".


Political positions

Forbes has widely been described as socially and economically conservative, in contrast with the generally socially liberal policies of the SNP. During her leadership campaign, Forbes received scrutiny of her religious and socially conservative views on abortion and LGBT rights. In an interview with STV News, she criticised the "
illiberal Historically, the adjective illiberal has been mostly applied to personal attitudes, behaviors and practices “unworthy of a free man”, such as lack of generosity, lack of sophisticated culture, intolerance, narrow-mindedness, meanness. Lord Ches ...
" debate about her religious views and questioned the meaning of
liberalism Liberalism is a Political philosophy, political and moral philosophy based on the Individual rights, rights of the individual, liberty, consent of the governed, political equality, the right to private property, and equality before the law. ...
, stating "have we become so illiberal that we cannot have these discussions? Because if some people are beyond the pale then those are dark and dangerous days for Scotland."


Scottish independence

As a member of the SNP, she supports
Scottish independence Scottish independence (; ) is the idea of Scotland regaining its independence and once again becoming a sovereign state, independent from the United Kingdom. The term Scottish independence refers to the political movement that is campaignin ...
. During the
2021 Scottish Parliament election The 2021 Scottish Parliament election took place on 6 May 2021 under the provisions of the Scotland Act 1998. It was the sixth Scottish Parliament election since the parliament was re-established in 1999. 129 Member of the Scottish Parliament, ...
, Forbes told business leaders she wanted a second
Scottish independence Scottish independence (; ) is the idea of Scotland regaining its independence and once again becoming a sovereign state, independent from the United Kingdom. The term Scottish independence refers to the political movement that is campaignin ...
referendum to be held once the "immediate impact" of the pandemic was over. She has called for a restart of the SNP's independence strategy. She has considered Sturgeon's proposal of using a parliamentary election as a de facto referendum to be a way to apply pressure on the UK government to grant permission to hold a formal referendum "rather than it being necessarily a referendum in and of itself". She said she wanted to achieve independence by delivering
economic growth In economics, economic growth is an increase in the quantity and quality of the economic goods and Service (economics), services that a society Production (economics), produces. It can be measured as the increase in the inflation-adjusted Outp ...
. At the first hustings, Forbes said she would seek the "legal powers to hold a referendum" on independence within three months of the new UK general election. In the 2023 SNP leadership election, Forbes was the only one of the three candidates to share the official party position that the British monarchy should remain head of state in an independent Scotland, though she said that she found the issue to be of little importance.


Economic policy

In 2018, Forbes was a member of the Sustainable Growth Commission, a blueprint of the
economic policy ''Economic Policy'' is a quarterly peer-reviewed academic journal published by Oxford University Press, Oxford Academic on behalf of the Centre for Economic Policy Research, the Center for Economic Studies (University of Munich), and the Paris Scho ...
and
currency A currency is a standardization of money in any form, in use or circulation as a medium of exchange, for example banknotes and coins. A more general definition is that a currency is a ''system of money'' in common use within a specific envi ...
for an independent Scotland. The commission proved unpopular among many left-wing SNP members for its embrace of
liberal economics Economic liberalism is a political and economic ideology that supports a market economy based on individualism and private property in the means of production. Adam Smith is considered one of the primary initial writers on economic liberalism, ...
. The
Institute for Fiscal Studies The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) is an independent economic research institute based in London, United Kingdom, which specialises in UK taxation and public policy. It produces both academic and policy-related findings. The institute's ...
(IFS) stated it would "further
austerity In economic policy, austerity is a set of Political economy, political-economic policies that aim to reduce government budget deficits through Government spending, spending cuts, tax increases, or a combination of both. There are three prim ...
under the SNP Sustainable Growth Commission's plans", while
Common Weal Common Weal is a Scottish pro-independence think tank and advocacy group which campaigns for social and economic equality in Scotland. It launched in 2013 and regularly publishes papers and works exploring an alternate economic and social model ...
, a left-wing pro-independence
think tank A think tank, or public policy institute, is a research institute that performs research and advocacy concerning topics such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, technology, and culture. Most think tanks are non-governme ...
, described it as shifting the Scottish economy to the right. Forbes supported the proposed currency arrangement of '
sterlingisation Currency substitution is the use of a foreign currency in parallel to or instead of a domestic currency. Currency substitution can be full or partial. Full currency substitution can occur after a major economic crisis, such as in Ecuador, El S ...
', which would mean an independent Scotland would not benefit from the central bank
quantitative easing Quantitative easing (QE) is a monetary policy action where a central bank purchases predetermined amounts of government bonds or other financial assets in order to stimulate economic activity. Quantitative easing is a novel form of monetary polic ...
, a
monetary policy Monetary policy is the policy adopted by the monetary authority of a nation to affect monetary and other financial conditions to accomplish broader objectives like high employment and price stability (normally interpreted as a low and stable rat ...
of massive borrowing programmes during times of economic crisis. As finance secretary, she stressed the need for more
progressive taxation A progressive tax is a tax in which the tax rate increases as the taxable amount increases. The term ''progressive'' refers to the way the tax rate progresses from low to high, with the result that a taxpayer's average tax rate is less than the ...
in order to tackle inequality and support
economic growth In economics, economic growth is an increase in the quantity and quality of the economic goods and Service (economics), services that a society Production (economics), produces. It can be measured as the increase in the inflation-adjusted Outp ...
. In March 2022, Forbes launched a report outlining Scotland's National Strategy for Economic Transformation, which is her plan to improve Scotland's economy over the following 10 years. In her official manifesto, Forbes put eradicating poverty and promoting
economic growth In economics, economic growth is an increase in the quantity and quality of the economic goods and Service (economics), services that a society Production (economics), produces. It can be measured as the increase in the inflation-adjusted Outp ...
at the heart of her policy.
OpenDemocracy openDemocracy is an independent media platform and news website based in the United Kingdom. Founded in 2001, openDemocracy states that through reporting and analysis of social and political issues, they seek to "challenge power and encourage d ...
claimed her economic agenda was "dangerous" and compared her
economic policy ''Economic Policy'' is a quarterly peer-reviewed academic journal published by Oxford University Press, Oxford Academic on behalf of the Centre for Economic Policy Research, the Center for Economic Studies (University of Munich), and the Paris Scho ...
to that of
George Osborne George Gideon Oliver Osborne (born 23 May 1971) is a British retired politician and newspaper editor who served as Chancellor of the Exchequer from 2010 to 2016 and as First Secretary of State from 2015 to 2016 in the Cameron government. A ...
and
David Cameron David William Donald Cameron, Baron Cameron of Chipping Norton (born 9 October 1966) is a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2010 to 2016. Until 2015, he led the first coalition government in the UK s ...
, who oversaw a large-scale austerity programme in the early 2010s. Forbes stated the
Scottish Government The Scottish Government (, ) is the executive arm of the devolved government of Scotland. It was formed in 1999 as the Scottish Executive following the 1997 referendum on Scottish devolution, and is headquartered at St Andrew's House in ...
's proposed deposit return scheme would cause "economic carnage".


Social issues

In 2018, Forbes made a
pro-life Anti-abortion movements, also self-styled as pro-life movements, are involved in the abortion debate advocating against the practice of abortion and its legality. Many anti-abortion movements began as countermovements in response to the lega ...
statement at a prayer breakfast, saying that the treatment of the unborn is a "measure of true progress" one day after a Westminster debate on abortion. In 2023, she said she "couldn’t conceive of having an abortion" herself, however, she "wouldn’t change the law as it stands". Forbes supports buffer zones for abortion clinics as she has said that women should not “be subjected to fear and harassment”. Forbes has stated that she is opposed to sex before marriage and to childbirth before marriage, considering it "wrong according to erfaith"; however, she stated that "the birth of a child should still be celebrated". Forbes also stated that others have the choice to do so, as "In a free society you can do what you want". On 20 February 2023, Forbes stated that if she had been an elected MSP in Holyrood when same-sex marriage was legalised in Scotland in 2014 she would have voted against the measure. However, in the same interview she clarified that she would not attempt to reverse existing same-sex marriage laws in Scotland. Forbes has stated that she believes that a
trans woman A trans woman or transgender woman is a woman who was assigned male at birth. Trans women have a female gender identity and may experience gender dysphoria (distress brought upon by the discrepancy between a person's gender identity and their ...
is a "biological male who identifies as a woman". She said a "rapist cannot be a woman" and that Isla Bryson, a
transgender woman A trans woman or transgender woman is a woman who was assigned male at birth. Trans women have a female gender identity and may experience gender dysphoria (distress brought upon by the discrepancy between a person's gender identity and their ...
who was convicted of raping of two women prior to her gender transition, is a "man". However, in 2024 she said she supports the
Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill The Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill is a bill passed by the Scottish Parliament. The bill seeks to amend the Gender Recognition Act 2004 of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, making it simpler for people to change their legal gen ...
, noting that "the first minister has been absolutely clear that the Scottish government intends to promote, to protect and to enhance the rights of every LGBT person in Scotland, and I wholeheartedly endorse that position." In April 2019, Forbes was one of 15 SNP politicians who signed a public letter calling on the Scottish Government to delay its manifesto commitment to reform the Gender Recognition Act in Scotland. In January 2022, she told ''
The Times ''The Times'' is a British Newspaper#Daily, daily Newspaper#National, national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its modern name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its si ...
'' that her position had not changed, that the Scottish Government should not rush to change the "definition of male and female" and said the Scottish Government "risked creating bad law". In the same month, Forbes signed off the proposed bill in a Scottish Cabinet meeting and when later asked why she did so despite her concerns she refused to answer. She did not participate in the final vote on the
Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill The Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill is a bill passed by the Scottish Parliament. The bill seeks to amend the Gender Recognition Act 2004 of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, making it simpler for people to change their legal gen ...
in December 2022 due to being on maternity leave. She later stated that she would not have supported the bill.


Electoral history


2016 Scottish parliamentary elections


2021 Scottish parliamentary elections


Personal life

Forbes is a fluent
Gaelic Gaelic (pronounced for Irish Gaelic and for Scots Gaelic) is an adjective that means "pertaining to the Gaels". It may refer to: Languages * Gaelic languages or Goidelic languages, a linguistic group that is one of the two branches of the Insul ...
speaker. She has made speeches in Gaelic at the Scottish Parliament. She has been married to Alasdair "Ali" MacLennan since 29 July 2021. They were married in Dingwall, at Dingwall & Strathpeffer Free Church of Scotland. Forbes has three step-daughters, MacLennan’s children with his first wife, who died in October 2014. The couple's first child together, a daughter, was born in August 2022. Forbes is a
Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...
, and is a member of the Free Church of Scotland. In a BBC interview, Forbes stated that she has never tried to hide her faith, calling it "essential to my being", and argued that it does not affect her ability to serve all her constituents, saying "I have a duty to represent them" and that being honest about her faith is an important matter. She joined the British American Project in 2023.


Notes


References


External links

*
Profile
on SNP website
Personal website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Forbes, Kate 1990 births Living people People from Dingwall Alumni of the University of Edinburgh Alumni of Selwyn College, Cambridge Scottish politicians Female members of the Scottish Parliament Members of the Scottish Cabinet Finance ministers of Scotland Scottish National Party MSPs Members of the Scottish Parliament 2016–2021 Members of the Scottish Parliament 2021–2026 Female finance ministers Free Church of Scotland people Deputy first ministers of Scotland