John Swinney has been urged to make Kate Forbes his Deputy First Minister to help unify the SNP and offer a “clean break” from the Nicola Sturgeon era.
The 60-year-old party veteran said 34-year-old Ms Forbes would have “a big role to play” in his minority government after he was installed unopposed as SNP leader on Monday.
One senior SNP source said it was “likely” that Ms Forbes would be made both Finance Secretary and Deputy First Minister after she decided not to run against Mr Swinney.
Another party source said naming Ms Forbes as Deputy First Minister would mean a “real change”, and signal a move away from left-wing policies pushed by the Scottish Greens during the period of coalition under Ms Sturgeon and Mr Yousaf.
The Greens are expected to help make Mr Swinney First Minister during a vote in Holyrood on Tuesday or Wednesday. But the party’s seven MSPs could make life difficult for him by refusing to back SNP budgets and legislation.
Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie has demanded that the new SNP leader re-commits to “progressive policies” to win their support, after Mr Yousaf’s decision to tear up the coalition deal.
Ms Forbes’ conservative Christian views could yet prove a sticking point. She opposed the failed move to make it easier for transgender people to self-identify, which was supported by the Greens, and previously said that she would have voted against legalising same-sex marriage.
Mr Harvie has said that he would not have been “comfortable” remaining as a minister if Ms Forbes had succeeded Ms Sturgeon as SNP leader last year.
But Mr Swinney plots how to unify his own divided party, one ally said there was confidence that the new leader could bring in Ms Forbes as his deputy while managing the relationship with the Greens.
Ms Forbes, who leads a group of social and fiscally conservative MSPs pushing to ditch the policies of the Sturgeon era, held talks with Mr Swinney about a potential role last week.
i understands that she has not told even her closest political allies which job has been discussed, although a senior Cabinet role is expected.
However, some allies believe she may not want the additional job as Deputy First Minister, in case any close association with Mr Swinney ruins a future leadership bid.
Geoff Aberdein, Alex Salmond’s former chief of staff, told i that bringing in Ms Forbes as Deputy First Minister would be a smart move.
“If you really want to create an impression of a different with a renewed set of priorities, there would be no better way of doing that than bringing Kate Forbes in as his deputy.”
Warning that it may not be “palatable” to the Greens, Mr Aberdein added: “It’s up to John Swinney to find the issues where he can find support from other parties. He may have to compromise. But in politics that’s not such a bad thing.”
Andy Maciver, the Scottish Tories’ former media chief, told i that Mr Swinney should “give her any job she wants”. He added: “He has to offer a clean break. Bringing Kate back is a way of starting to do that.”
Polling guru Professor John Curtice told i that Mr Swinney faced a tricky balancing act in bringing in Ms Forbes to unite his party, while keeping the Greens onside for votes.
“Swinney’s stock in the party is high,” said Professor Curtice, adding: “Keeping everyone happy is not going to be easy. A lot of SNP parliamentarians, let alone the Greens, burned their bridges with Kate Forbes last year.”
Mr Swinney admitted at his acceptance speech at Glasgow University that the SNP has “faced a rough time recently”, but insisted that it was “coming back together again now”.
He told reporters he would “reach out” to the unionist parties. “On some issues I’m sure we’ll be aligned with the Scottish Greens, but I’m sure on other issues we’ll have to find support and agreement with other political parties.”
Mr Harvie said on Monday that the Greens were “open to talks” with Mr Swinney about offering support on certain issues.
But he warned Mr Swinney not to “dilute” or ditch existing legislative plans for rent control, a ban on conversion therapy, and new energy efficiency standards to encourage heat pump installation in homes.
“Will they offer a progressive vision for Scotland’s future, or will they retreat toward the tepid middle ground, which would force them to rely on the Tories and other pro-union parties?” said Mr Harvie.
Alex Salmond, leader of the breakaway nationalist Alba Party, said Mr Swinney was “not too clear on his strategy for independence” during his acceptance speech.
The former First Minister urged the new SNP leader to ignore the Scottish Greens and reach out to single Alba MSP Ash Regan for support instead.
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said Mr Swinney’s coronation had been “stitch up by a chaotic and dysfunctional party that is more interested in protecting its own interests”.
Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross said Mr Swinney was “joined at the hip with the disgraced Nicola Sturgeon”, while Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton dismissed the new SNP leader as a “former wingman” to Ms Sturgeon.