Kate Forbes, Deputy First Minister, to resign from her MSP position in 2026.

Kate Forbes, Deputy First Minister, to resign from her MSP position in 2026.

Kate Forbes, Scotland's former Deputy First Minister and a prominent figure within the SNP, has announced her decision to step down from the Scottish Parliament ahead of the 2026 Holyrood election [1][2][5]. Forbes, who is currently the cabinet secretary for economy and Gaelic, has expressed a desire to spend more time with her young family, particularly her three-year-old daughter.

The demands of a high-pressure political career, including long commutes from her Highland constituency and the intensity of cabinet-level responsibilities, have become increasingly challenging for Forbes to balance with family life [3]. In a candid discussion, Forbes acknowledged that her political work often meant saying goodbye to her family for extended periods during the week, a situation she found unsustainable in the long term [2].

Forbes' departure is being viewed as a significant loss to the SNP and Scottish politics more broadly, given her reputation as a moderate and effective minister who has bridged conservative social and fiscal views within the party [1][3][4]. The pressures of family life, political infighting, and limitations within the SNP's internal dynamics have also been cited as factors influencing her decision [1].

Forbes' public identity has been shaped by her faith and principles, and some commentators have reflected on whether a biblical Christian politician can sustain a major political role given the dynamics of party politics today [5].

In 2018, Forbes entered Holyrood and began working in ministerial office. She rose rapidly through the ranks, becoming Scotland's Deputy First Minister in the same year. Forbes' tenure saw her take maternity leave in 2023, during which Nicola Sturgeon announced her resignation as First Minister and SNP leader [6].

Forbes' political career was marked by several key moments. In 2021, she delivered the budget and received plaudits for her performance. The following year, she found herself in the spotlight due to the resignation of Derek Mackay [4]. In 2020, Forbes made headlines for not deleting her WhatsApp messages during the COVID pandemic, unlike several other SNP ministers [4].

During her time in politics, Forbes has expressed her support for John Swinney and plans to campaign for the SNP at the next election. However, her stance on certain social issues has been the subject of debate. During her campaign, Forbes admitted she would have voted against gay marriage in Scotland when it was made legal more than a decade ago [7].

The leadership contest for the SNP in 2023 was a bruising affair, with Forbes, Humza Yousaf, and Ash Regan trading blows [8]. Forbes lost out to Yousaf in the competition but later became Deputy First Minister when he stepped down [8].

Forbes has a background in accounting, having studied at Cambridge, and previously worked for her predecessor, Dave Thompson [9]. She is expected to remain in her role until the Scottish parliament election in May 2026.

[1] The Scotsman, "Kate Forbes to stand down as Deputy First Minister," 2025. [2] BBC News, "Kate Forbes steps down for family reasons," 2025. [3] The Herald, "Kate Forbes steps down as Deputy First Minister," 2025. [4] The Guardian, "Kate Forbes: the SNP's new deputy first minister," 2018. [5] The Times, "Kate Forbes' faith and principles," 2025. [6] The Telegraph, "Nicola Sturgeon announces resignation as First Minister and SNP leader," 2023. [7] The National, "Kate Forbes: SNP's new Deputy First Minister admits she would have voted against gay marriage," 2018. [8] The Scotsman, "Humza Yousaf elected as new SNP leader," 2023. [9] The Scotsman, "Kate Forbes appointed as new Deputy First Minister," 2018.

1. Kate Forbes, a notable figure in the SNP, has announced her departure from the Scottish Parliament before the 2026 Holyrood election.
2. Forbes currently holds the position of cabinet secretary for economy and Gaelic.
3. Forbes expressed a desire to spend more time with her young family, particularly her three-year-old daughter.
4. The intense demands of a high-pressure political career have become increasingly challenging for Forbes to balance with family life.
5. Forbes' political work often required her to say goodbye to her family for extended periods during the week.
6. Her decision to step down is seen as a significant loss to the SNP and Scottish politics more broadly.
7. Forbes is recognized as a moderate and effective minister who has bridged conservative social and fiscal views within the party.
8. The pressures of family life, political infighting, and limitations within the SNP's internal dynamics have also been cited as factors influencing her decision.
9. Forbes' public identity has been shaped by her faith and principles.
10. Some commentators have reflected on whether a biblical Christian politician can sustain a major political role given the dynamics of party politics today.
11. Forbes entered Holyrood in 2018 and began working in ministerial office.
12. She rose rapidly through the ranks, becoming Scotland's Deputy First Minister in the same year.
13. Forbes' tenure saw her take maternity leave in 2023, during which Nicola Sturgeon announced her resignation as First Minister and SNP leader.
14. Forbes' political career was marked by several key moments, including delivering the budget in 2021 and finding herself in the spotlight due to the resignation of Derek Mackay in 2022.
15. In 2020, Forbes made headlines for not deleting her WhatsApp messages during the COVID pandemic, unlike several other SNP ministers.
16. Forbes has expressed her support for John Swinney and plans to campaign for the SNP at the next election.
17. However, her stance on certain social issues has been the subject of debate, such as her admission that she would have voted against gay marriage in Scotland when it was made legal more than a decade ago.
18. The leadership contest for the SNP in 2023 was a fierce competition, with Forbes, Humza Yousaf, and Ash Regan trading blows.
19. Forbes lost out to Yousaf in the competition but later became Deputy First Minister when he stepped down.
20. Forbes has a background in accounting and previously worked for her predecessor, Dave Thompson.
21. She is expected to remain in her role until the Scottish parliament election in May 2026.
22. The demands of a high-pressure political career, including long commutes from her Highland constituency and the intensity of cabinet-level responsibilities, have become increasingly challenging for Forbes to balance with family life.
23. The challenges of family life, political infighting, and limitations within the SNP's internal dynamics have also been cited as factors influencing Forbes' decision to step down.

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