20 February 2023

Kate Forbes emerges as early favourite for SNP leadership

With Angus Robertson, the bookie’s favourite, out of the race, the finance secretary is the frontrunner to replace Nicola Sturgeon.

By Zoë Grünewald

Kate Forbes photographed outside the Scottish Parliament, in Edinburgh for the New Statesman by Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert

So far three MSPs have announced their intention to run to replace Nicola Sturgeon as leader of the SNP and Scotland’s First Minister: Humza Yousaf, the Scottish health secretary, Ash Regan, a former minister, and Kate Forbes, the finance secretary.

Since Sturgeon announced her resignation last week, there has been plenty of speculation around Sturgeon’s likely successor. Freddie Hayward and I wrote a piece last week listing the runners and riders, but so far many have ruled themselves out of the race, including Keith Brown, Neil Gray, Màiri McAllan, John Swinney, Joanna Cherry, Stephen Flynn, the party’s Westminster leader, and Angus Robertson, the bookie’s favourite.