Scotland’s new First Minister John Swinney has gambled his premiership on Kate Forbes by handing his potential SNP leadership rival the next most senior job in his government.
Ms Forbes had been tipped to stand against Mr Swinney in the aftermath of Humza Yousaf’s exit as leader, but she accepted roles as Deputy First Minister and Economy Secretary on Wednesday.
The 34-year-old socially conservative Christian will now have a “big say” in shaping SNP policy and will also influence how many Scots vote at the general election, party insiders and political experts told i.
While some in the SNP fear that Ms Forbes could alienate left-wing voters, others feel she can regain support in the centre-ground by breaking with the agenda seen during the SNP’s recent coalition with the Scottish Greens.
Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie said that many people in Scotland would be “concerned” about the appointment of Ms Forbes because of her “quite startlingly social conservative views”.
The Highlands MSP, a member of the Free Church of Scotland, ran into trouble during last year’s leadership contest against Mr Yousaf when she said that she would have voted against legalising same-sex marriage.
However, Ms Forbes has retained a strong base of support inside the SNP membership, and among MSPs and MPs at Holyrood and Westminster.
Mr Swinney put SNP “unity” at the heart of his pitch to lead the party. He moved to end any bad blood between Ms Forbes and senior SNP figures by offering her a return to cabinet at a one-on-one meeting last week.
Ms Forbes was asked about the same-sex marriage controversy, and if she had any message to the LGBT community, as she took questions alongside Mr Swinney outside Bute House in Edinburgh after the new Cabinet was named.
She said her job as Deputy First Minister was now to support Mr Swinney in “uniting the country” and “finding those places of consensus”.
Mr Swinney – who had previously questioned whether it was “appropriate” for someone with her views on gay marriage to lead the party – said: “I will be the First Minister for everyone in Scotland, whether those people are in the LGBT community or not.”
SNP MP Douglas Chapman told i the move to bring Ms Forbes into the fold was “really good news”. The Forbes backer said he hoped she can “move the dial” when it comes to the SNP’s policy agenda and electoral fortunes. “She has the ability to win people over through her actions, as opposed to rhetoric,” he added.
MSP Ivan McKee, another Forbes supporter, told i he was “delighted” that she was now part of the party’s hierarchy. He said she could make a “significant contribution to the success of the SNP [and] the wider independence movement”.
One senior SNP source, a Swinney backer, said there had been some concerns that Ms Forbes will alienate left-wing voters in Scotland, but they hope the new deputy leader can separate her religious views from policy.
Another SNP Swinney ally said most were happy that Ms Forbes has accepted such a senior job, and would mean that she would stand fully behind the Government. “John wants to use all the talents at his disposal,” they told i.
Andy McIver, former Scottish Tory media chief, told i: “It’s a big deal. It’s a big call for Swinney, because there would have been some opposition internally. She won’t be a trophy Deputy First Minister. You can bet your bottom dollar she is going to have a big say.”
He added: “She is popular with the people who like to drive in the middle lane, like most of us. They’ve been dismayed with the Scottish government hanging about on the left, and they’ll now – at the very least – take another look.”
Geoff Aberdein, Alex Salmond’s former chief of staff, said polling which shows the SNP slipping behind Labour in Scotland had “focused minds”. He told i: “If the SNP wants to retain seats you need to be seen to speak to all parts of the country.”
The co-host of Holyrood Sources podcast added: “I’m certain she will help shape the direction of the government – she will have negotiated hard on that. She will want to change things. Otherwise she will be associated with what has been a mediocre government of late.”
Mr Swinney assembled his Cabinet hours after being officially sworn into the post at the Court of Session in Edinburgh, and after he spoke to Rishi Sunak.
Shona Robison, the previous deputy first minister and economy chief, saw her role reduced to Finance and Local Government Secretary. Otherwise, the Cabinet remains unchanged.
Scottish Labour’s deputy leader, Jackie Baillie, said the mini-reshuffle was “uninspiring” and again called for a fresh Holyrood election. “This is a continuity Cabinet that cannot be trusted to fix the chaos and instability they have created.”
Mr Harvie warned Mr Swinney and Ms Forbes against watering down the left-wing policies pursued by the Scottish Greens when his party was in coalition government.
“When it comes to delivering fairer and more progressive taxation, a just transition from oil and gas and a watertight ban on so-called conversion therapy, it is vital that this Government does not dilute the long-standing commitments that it has made.”