Kate Forbes did not hide her conservative Christian views in interviews when she launched her SNP leadership campaign. If she is able to stay in contention, it is possible that the membership will be more tolerant than her colleagues at the top of the party.
Kate Forbes' parents were missionaries for the strictly Calvinist Free Church of Scotland. She shares their faith in the puritanical"Wee Frees".
Forbes admitted she would not have voted for gay marriage. She does not support gender self-identification. John Swinney"profoundly disagreed" with Forbes' views, observing ominously that"the party membership will make their judgement whether they think are appropriate to hold if you are a leader". Whether this reassurance will be enough to get her campaign back on course will decide whether she or someone else - currently most likely to be Health Secretary Humza Yousaf, a progressive and practising Muslim - becomes first minister.Polls suggest that there is considerable support for Forbes' reservations about the GRR. But there are overwhelming majorities in favour of same-sex marriage.
"I firmly believe that I have no right to legislate to make people who aren't Christians live as though they were."Her staunchly held Catholic beliefs and social attitudes had come into conflict in roles which included being new Labour's education secretary and equalities minister.
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