Kate Forbes was the frontrunner. By every internal metric, the former Scottish finance secretary was a "slam dunk" to lead the Scottish National Party in 2023. Then, she answered a question about same-sex marriage. The campaign shifted instantly.

Speaking at the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship (ARC) conference in London last week, Forbes reflected on the contest that ultimately saw Humza Yousaf take the top job. She described a campaign that was hers to lose until her religious convictions became the central issue. The backlash was immediate. It was also, in her view, a test of integrity.

The Cost of Candor

During the 2023 leadership race, Forbes—a member of the Free Church of Scotland—stated she would have voted against the 2014 legislation legalizing same-sex marriage. She also expressed personal views on children born outside of marriage and abortion. The fallout was severe. Supporters vanished. Critics mobilized.

Forbes told the conference that her team offered a simple, pragmatic solution: lie.

"All these wonderfully committed team members, who wanted me to win, had great advice—just lie and you'll be fine," she said. She refused. She chose to be honest. That choice cost her the premiership, but she maintains it was a personal victory. "I ended the first 24 hours just so thankful that, in the face of the questions, I hadn't crumbled," she added.

A Question of Integrity

Forbes argues that the public is tired of political artifice. She claims that while the political establishment turned on her, she received "thousands on thousands" of messages from voters who disagreed with her theology but respected her willingness to speak her mind.

She pointed to a disconnect between the political class and the electorate. "When you're getting into taxis and people are saying 'you're the only honest one amongst them,' that feels good," she told the audience. She believes her record as finance secretary and her electoral mandate were sidelined in favor of a moral litmus test. To her, the media and party establishment prioritized her conscience over her competence.

The Religious Divide

The conference event, chaired by former Australian deputy prime minister John Anderson, took a contentious turn when Anderson suggested Forbes was treated unfairly compared to her rival. He claimed the contest favored a candidate who held equally "hardline" views but belonged to a different faith. He explicitly named Islam. Forbes did not challenge the assertion.

Her appearance at the ARC conference—which featured figures like Nigel Farage and Boris Johnson—drew criticism from within the SNP. Current First Minister John Swinney distanced himself from the event, stating he would have no involvement with a conference that included Reform UK figures. The SNP declined to comment on Forbes' specific claims regarding her leadership bid.

Key Takeaways

  • Kate Forbes claims she was the clear favorite to lead the SNP in 2023 before revealing her conservative religious views.
  • The former minister rejected advice from her team to "lie" about her stance on same-sex marriage and other social issues.
  • Forbes argues that her electoral success and policy record were overshadowed by a public and political backlash against her personal conscience.

Forbes has since stepped down from the Scottish Parliament, leaving the political arena after a turbulent period for the party. The question of whether her honesty was a political liability or a long-term asset remains a point of debate. For now, she is out of office. The SNP is moving on. The tension between personal conviction and political survival, however, is not going away.