Iain Macwhirter Iain Macwhirter

Is ‘Operation stop Kate Forbes’ working?

(Credit: Getty images)

The SNP establishment – the Sturgeonites – are trying to give the SNP membership an offer they can’t refuse. Swallow your doubts and just vote as you are told: that is, for Humza Yousaf. If you don’t, beware the consequences: a split in the party, the collapse of the Green coalition, the departure of key figures and even the loss of government itself.

A number of ministers, including Nicola Sturgeon’s closest ally, social justice secretary, Shona Robison, are saying they would have trouble serving in a government led by Kate Forbes. In other words, if Humza loses they’ll take their support away. 

Nationalists like the former SNP minister, Marco Biagi, have been ramping up the warnings about a split on social media. Biagi has even suggested that the Scottish parliament might fail to endorse Kate Forbes as First Minister of Scotland because of MSPs’ revulsion at her views on gay marriage and abortion. It’s a new SNP version of Project Fear. Après

Written by
Iain Macwhirter

Iain Macwhirter is a former BBC TV presenter and was political commentator for The Herald between 1999 and 2022. He is an author of Road to Referendum and Disunited Kingdom: How Westminster Won a Referendum but Lost Scotland.

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