SNP candidate Kate Forbes insists she has ‘progressive views’ after gay marriage backlash
SNP leadership candidate Kate Forbes has insisted she has “progressive views” after scrutiny of her religious beliefs.
The Scottish finance secretary lost several supporters in the race to replace Nicola Sturgeon when she admitted she would have voted against gay marriage in Scotland at the time it was made legal almost a decade ago.
She subsequently told Sky News that her faith means having children outside of marriage is “wrong” and something she personally would “seek to avoid”.
Ms Forbes, a member of the Free Church of Scotland, has also voiced opposition to Holyrood’s gender legislation and has failed to fully commit to banning all forms of conversion therapy.
Asked if she considers herself to have progressive views, Ms Forbes told Sky’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday: “I do indeed.
“I think we live in a pluralistic, tolerant society, which allows space for everyone. And of course, the definition of progressivity is that we stand up for those who have no voice and ensure that we are representing their interest in Scotland today.”
Ms Forbes was then pressed on her views on gay and trans conversion therapy, which the Scottish government has committed to ban by the end of the year.
During a Sky News leadership debate last week, Ms Forbes was asked six times if she would end the practice even fro those who consent to it – and did not give a straight answer.
Although she called conversion therapy “abhorrent”, she got tangled up when asked about people who wanted it done to themselves, saying they “should be allowed to live freely as they choose, I do not think there should be conversion therapy in Scotland”.
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Kate Forbes says she personally believes children outside marriage is wrong
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Pressed for clarity on her position on Sunday, she repeated her stance that conversion therapy is “abhorrent” but said “lived experiences” should “inform the approach that we take to the debate”.
“I understand that there are people who will see that there is no non-coercive approach to conversion therapy and I’m not here to try to argue with that,” she said.
“I’m here to build on the experiences that people have shared and ensure that any approach we take to the legislation reflects those lived experiences.
“But it is a very sensitive issue and I do think it is important that rather than give you a sort of quick ‘gotcha’ answer on a matter of such importance that we do reflect on the consultation responses and we ensure the legislation bans such an abhorrent process.”
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Leadership rival Humza Yousaf has tried to exploit Ms Forbes’ perceived weakness with SNP voters on social issues by suggesting she is “abandoning the progressive agenda” of the party.
‘Stunning level of scrutiny’
Speaking to the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg, Ms Forbes said there has been “quite a stunning level of scrutiny and perhaps backlash from some quarters” around her religious views.
She said other people of faith have held high office in the UK and she vowed to ensure Scotland is a “tolerant and pluralistic nation”.
Addressing the gay community, she added: “I give you an honest pledge today to govern in a way that delivers for you, that does not in any way undermine your rights and actually seeks to enhance your opportunities in Scotland to ensure that Scotland is truly that tolerant and pluralistic nation that we all want to see.”
The interviews were pre-recorded as Ms Forbes does not work on Sundays due to her religion – though she has said she would if she is elected first minister.
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She was speaking before the SNP was plunged into turmoil over the weekend as chief executive Peter Murrell, who is married to Nicola Sturgeon, quit after a row over the party’s membership numbers.
His departure came shortly after that of media chief Murray Foote, who said there had been a “serious impediment” to his role.
Ms Forbes, who along with the other candidates had called for the membership numbers to be released, told Sophy Ridge she has “full confidence in the integrity of election contest”.
She said the significant fall in paid-up support to the SNP that the party was forced to confirm, demonstrates that “we do need to focus and deliver change”, adding: “Continuity won’t cut it.”
World
Stock markets slump for second day running after Trump announces tariffs – in worst day for indexes since COVID
Worldwide stock markets have plummeted for the second day running as the fallout from Donald Trump’s global tariffs continues.
While European and Asian markets suffered notable falls, American indexes were the worst hit, with Wall Street closing to a sea of red on Friday following Thursday’s rout – the worst day in US markets since the COVID-19 pandemic.
As it happened: Worst week’s trading in five years
All three of the US’s major indexes were down by more than 5% at market close; The Dow Jones Industrial Average plummeted 5.5%, the S&P 500 was 5.97% lower, and the Nasdaq Composite slipped 5.82%.
The Nasdaq was also 22% below its record-high set in December, which indicates a bear market.
Read more: What’s a bear market?
Ever since the US president announced the tariffs on Wednesday evening, analysts estimate that around $4.9trn (£3.8trn) has been wiped off the value of the global stock market.
Mr Trump has remained unapologetic as the markets struggle, posting in all-caps on Truth Social before the markets closed that “only the weak will fail”.
The UK’s leading stock market, the FTSE 100, also suffered its worst daily drop in more than five years, closing 4.95% down, a level not seen since March 2020.
And the Japanese exchange Nikkei 225 dropped by 2.75% at end of trading, down 20% from its recent peak in July last year.
US indexes had the worst day of trading since the COVID-19 pandemic. Pic: Reuters
Trump holds trade deal talks – reports
It comes as a source told CNN that Mr Trump has been in discussions with Vietnamese, Indian and Israeli representatives to negotiate bespoke trade deals that could alleviate proposed tariffs on those countries before a deadline next week.
The source told the US broadcaster the talks were being held in advance of the reciprocal levies going into effect next week.
Vietnam faced one of the highest reciprocal tariffs announced by the US president this week, with 46% rates on imports. Israeli imports face a 17% rate, and Indian goods will be subject to 26% tariffs.
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China – hit with 34% tariffs on imported goods – has also announced it will issue its own levy of the same rate on US imports.
Mr Trump said China “played it wrong” and “panicked – the one thing they cannot afford to do” in another all-caps Truth Social post earlier on Friday.
Later, on Air Force One, the US president told reporters that “the beauty” of the tariffs is that they allow for negotiations, referencing talks with Chinese company ByteDance on the sale of social media app TikTok.
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Tariffs: Xi hits back at Trump
He said: “We have a situation with TikTok where China will probably say, ‘We’ll approve a deal, but will you do something on the tariffs?’
“The tariffs give us great power to negotiate. They always have.”
World
Financial markets were always going to respond to Trump tariffs but they’re also battling with another problem
South Korea’s constitutional court has confirmed the dismissal of President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was impeached in December after declaring martial law.
His decision to send troops onto the streets led to the country’s worst political crisis in decades.
The court ruled to uphold the impeachment saying the conservative leader “violated his duty as commander-in-chief by mobilising troops” when he declared martial law.
The president was also said to have taken actions “beyond the powers provided in the constitution”.
Demonstrators stayed overnight near the constitutional court. Pic: AP
Supporters and opponents of the president gathered in their thousands in central Seoul as they awaited the ruling.
The 64-year-old shocked MPs, the public and international allies in early December when he declared martial law, meaning all existing laws regarding civilians were suspended in place of military law.
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The court was under heavy police security guard ahead of the announcement. Pic: AP
After suddenly declaring martial law, Mr Yoon sent hundreds of soldiers and police officers to the National Assembly.
He has argued that he sought to maintain order, but some senior military and police officers sent there have told hearings and investigators that Mr Yoon ordered them to drag out politicians to prevent an assembly vote on his decree.
His presidential powers were suspended when the opposition-dominated assembly voted to impeach him on 14 December, accusing him of rebellion.
The unanimous verdict to uphold parliament’s impeachment and remove Mr Yoon from office required the support of at least six of the court’s eight justices.
South Korea must hold a national election within two months to find a new leader.
Lee Jae-myung, leader of the main liberal opposition Democratic Party, is the early favourite to become the country’s next president, according to surveys.
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