Gay SNP MP Mhairi Black warns that leadership favorite Kate Forbes could split the party if she takes over from Nicola Sturgeon becomes leader as poll finds Christian hardliner is the choice of the Scottish public to become First Minister
- Mhairi Black said idea Forbes was being persecuted over faith was ‘fanciful’
- Finance Minister began campaign by saying she was against same-sex marriage
A senior SNP MP today warned that the party could be torn apart if Kate Forbes becomes leader as she suggested the frontrunner has been indulging in ‘dangerous conspiracy theories’.
Mhairi Black, the nationalists’ deputy leader at Westminster, lashed out evangelical Christian Ms Forbes over claims she was being persecuted for her faith, saying the idea was ‘fanciful at best’.
The Finance Minister started the campaign by saying she would vote against same-sex marriage if there was another vote, and also spoke out against extra-marital sex. She suggested she was the victim of ‘illiberal’ attacks.
A new poll today suggests she is nonetheless the favourite with the wider Scottish public to replace Nicola Sturgeon as First Minister, though SNP voters narrowly prefer Humza Yousuf, the Health Minister.
Ms Black, who is gay and married her wife last year, is backing Mr Yousaf, said Ms Forbes had ‘alienated swathes of the population before she’s even started’.
Asked on The Bunker podcast if a Forbes victory could split the SNP, she replied: Honestly I don’t know, to tell you the truth. It’s very much a wait and see what happens. I wouldn’t even want to risk that, that’s why I’m backing Humza.
‘The idea that Kate is being persecuted, or that there is a witch hunt or unionist media plot against her is utterly fanciful at best and a dangerous conspiracy theory at worst.
Mhairi Black (centre), the nationalists’ deputy leader at Westminister, lashed out evangelical Christian Ms Forbes over claims she was being persecuted for her faith, saying the idea was ‘fanciful at best’.
The Finance Minister started the campaign by saying she would vote against same-sex marriage if there was another vote, and also spoke out against extra-marital sex. She suggested she was the victim of ‘illiberal’ attacks from critics.
A new poll today suggests she is nonetheless the favourite with the wider Scottish public to replace Nicola Sturgeon as First Minister, though SNP voters narrowly prefer Humza Yousuf, the Health Minister.
‘Holding candidates to account, and scrutinising what they have said themselves – on camera, voluntarily, as a pitch to be the next FM of Scotland – is not abuse.’
The research – carried out ahead of the first UK-wide TV debate of the SNP leadership campaign – found Ms Forbes is neck and neck with rival candidate Humza Yousaf among SNP supporters.
The poll was carried out by Ipsos for Channel 4 News, which will broadcast Thursday night’s clash.
It found Ms Forbes, the current Scottish Finance Secretary, is the choice of 32 per cent of Scots to be the next first minister.
Mr Yousaf, the Scottish Health Secretary, is the favourite of 24 per cent of those polled, while the third candidate in the contest, former Scottish community safety minister Ash Regan, is on 8 per cent. Almost a quarter (24 per cent) of all voters want none of them to become first minister.
Among those who voted SNP in the last Holyrood election in 2021, 33 per cent said Mr Yousaf will make the best first minister and 32 per cent opted for Ms Forbes.
More than 1,500 Scots aged 16 and over were questioned between Monday and Tuesday this week for the poll.
It is SNP members who will decide who the party’s next leader is – with the winner also becoming first minister after Nicola Sturgeon announced last month she is stepping down.
The ballot of party members gets under way on Monday and will run until March 27, with the winner declared after that.
As well as a number of TV debates, a series of leadership hustings are taking place across Scotland as part of the contest.
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