To worry about Kate Forbes becoming first minister

[Creatine11]

Abortion and LGBT rights have been something that have largely not been part of political debate for at least the last 10 years. Gay marriage was enacted in 2014 and was broadly supported. The last serious challenge to abortion rights was at the start of the coalition government with Nadine Dorries et all. However, broadly gay rights and abortion rights have been settled issues- it has almost been taboo for politicians to oppose them. Certainly, there hasn’t been any serious possibility over the last decade (at least) of any rowing back on abortion, gay marriage, gay adoption, divorce law etc.

However, it is clear that in the heart of hearts of Forbes she disagrees with all these things due to her beliefs as an evangelical Christian. By all accounts she was very competent as a minister and has been a good MSP. However, as first minister she will be a figurehead for Scotland as well as setting the tone for policy and political discourse. Also, unlike Rees-Mogg and DUP types, Kate Forbes seems like an otherwise sensible, competent, ‘normal’ politician.

My concern is Forbes being the leader of Scotland could normalise her views on these issues. While I don’t believe abortion or gay marriage face immediate threat, if it’s brought into mainstream politics it will become a party political issue and may well shift public opinion, especially given the current culture war. Politicians, journalists, activists and others who have held these views quietly may be emboldened to launch a new campaign against abortion, LGBT rights or some other issue. I don’t know this would necessarily just be limited to Scotland as Nicola Sturgeon and her policies had a very high profile in the rest of the UK and influenced policy.

Aibu to worry about Kate Forbes becoming SNP leader and first minister?

It doesn't feel very powerful when you're shivering in a little church with a big ol holey roof.

@picklemewalnuts

Ask God to fix it for you.

So OP who do you prefer as First Minister as you are against those with Religious beliefs?

Is OP against those with religious beliefs? That's not my impression. Plenty of religions people are not anti-gay and anti-choice.

This. YABU.

Come on. If you are going to bash Katie for this then you need to bash Humza as well. Conveniently booked an appointment so that he would miss the gay marriage vote.

Humza was also convicted for driving without insurance. Caught whilst heading to an overnight stay with a woman in the car not his then wife.

He and his wife could not secure a space in a nursery, so resorted to shysters phoning up the nursery masquerading as parents trying to entrap the nursery. And the nursery was then mysteriously turned over by the Scottish Government inspectors and put through the mill.

Humza’s cousin, a one time candidate for Ayrshire very much in the circle of knowledge and advanced vetting, trading under a different name from the name he was known by when hundreds of thousands of pounds of Government Grant to an Islamic charity could not be accounted for. And a wife who also sailed through vetting whilst others struggled.

At least Katie is being upfront about her beliefs and not trying to hide anything. Perhaps I am biased because I was brought up a wee Free!

@MrsFinkelstein Scotland and Great Britain are very different countries to the USA, with vastly different relationships with faith and political set up, governance and laws. it’s perhaps misleading to suggest that some states removal of women’s reproductive rights would happen here.

the removal of abortion rights in some America states happened under Biden not trump who I would argue is more vocal about his faith. Surprising eh?

the fundamental Christianity movement is huge in the USA. My uncle, Wisconsin born and bred, and reads the bible. Not flashy with his faith at all but it plays a massive part in many many American lives.
ever heard of the Bible Belt in USA?

every time a politician votes they are only representing some constituents unless all constituents think the same which they don't
so an MSP voting against nuclear weapons is not representing those in favour,
if the MSP's had voted like their constituents though the GRR would not pass as approx 66% of Scots don't support it, so voting in accordance with representing constituents is something they do or don't do as they see fit, sometimes they toe party line even when they know for sure it is against the wishes of the vast majority of their constituents
for example some labour MPs voted against brexit ( as per party line) despite their constituents being in favour in some cases by a considerable margin this may account for losing their seats to the collapse of red wall, sometimes you can ignore constituents and it's fine but sometimes it doesn't go well

Everyone claiming Humza Yousaf missed ‘the’ vote on gay marriage should get their facts right.

He was present for most votes and voted in favour of marriage equality. When he missed a vote he explained why and made clear that he backed marriage equality.

🙄

Biden hasn’t done anything to row back on abortion rights - faith or no faith.

I dont understand this narrative against Kate Forbes and her strict Christian views.

Humza Useless is Muslim, his views are not going to be too dissimilar but the msm cant tear him apart the same way or they risk being lablled rascist.

Do you think it has anything to do with the fact that Kate Forbes opposes gay marriage and Humza Yousaf supports it?

His complaint about the nursery was upheld by the Care Inspectorate.

Yes I do worry about a leader who holds these views. Although it does look like her bid is dead in the water there’s a worrying poll in the Guardian today saying she’s still top candidate amongst SNP voters (not members). None of the three are great tbh.

@TeaKlaxon i didn’t say biden had rowed back on reproductive rights but it’s happened under his presidency.

Do you think it has anything to do with the fact that Kate Forbes opposes gay marriage and Humza Yousaf supports it?

Supports it by conveniently being "busy" when the vote took place?
Apparently due to pressure from his mosque?
He "supports" whatever is expedient.

Sorry I don’t follow. She can’t enforce her views that gay people should not be permitted to enter in to legal marriage to one another because the legislation did not pass. I don’t think someone’s stance on gay marriage is relevant to their ability to lead Scotland or run a party, the matter is settled law. Tbh you are also barring any Christian or Muslim from being FM as both religions do not recognise gay marriage. Angela Merkel didn’t agree with gay marriage either. She didn’t vote for it either. She still managed to pretty ably run the country and I haven’t seen her branded a massive homophobe. The current Irish Taoiseach himself was not pro gay marriage until he saw the popular tide was turning that way, and he is a gay man. Accordingly many people now recognise that he is a person of limited principles, which they don’t particularly like or trust in a leader.

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/fury-as-snp-cronies-group-get-400000-986464?intsource=amppcontinuereading&inttmedium=amp&intcampaign=continueereadingbutton#amp-readmore-target

This cousin?

I’m pretty sure the inspectorate upheld the whole complaint. His subsequent litigation is a separate matter. The nursery was found to have acted unfairly in their admission procedures.

islamism.news/2023/02/23/the-troubling-islamist-connections-of-scotlands-next-leader/

More on HY and his cousin.

His ex wife also left the party telling a newspaper it is a 'cult'.

Wow; that's a few billion people you've just called homophobes and mysogynists.

So, do you think everyone who adheres to any of the main world religions (all of which prohibit abortion and same-sex marriage, last I checked) should be barred from holding public office?

When you say he skilled 'the' vote, which vote are you referring to?

Because Yousaf voted for marriage equality at all other stages except the one where he had a meeting about a Scottish man on death row in Pakistan.

@HBGKC

Pretty much, yeah.

The world would hopefully be a much better place

She has said that she herself would never get an abortion but that she protects the right of other women to make that choice for themselves. She also supports banning protesters from harassing women at clinics.

Have we got so used to the American model of both politics and religion that we can't see that it's possible for someone to hold their own beliefs, not expect others to have the same beliefs and behave professionally without these belief's dominating their job.

I would never become a nun, but wouldn't vote against other people being allowed to. I would never call a child Tequila, but wouldn't enshrine it in law. I wouldn't want to read Mills and Boon but I'm not going to burn them. Etc.

Kate Forbes must be held to account if she does try to enforce her faith on others as a politician, but to say she must never get the chance - that we can't allow anyone with beliefs to be in politics - is a worse stance. I'm an atheist, but it isn't relevant.