Kate Forbes leadership campaign "isn't over yet" despite same sex marriage backlash
Ms Forbes said she would have voted against gay marriage in Scotland
SNP leadership candidate Kate Forbes has said her campaign to replace Nicola Sturgeon as First Minister is "absolutely not over" despite a backlash over her equal marriage views.
The Finance Secretary said on Monday that her conscience would not have allowed her to vote in favour of same-sex marriage, which passed in Holyrood in 2014, if she had been an MSP at the time.
Supporters u-turn
Moray MSP Richard Lochhead has made a U-turn on his support for Kate Forbes, less than 12 hours after announcing he would back her.
Taking to Twitter, he said the SNP "can’t have a Party Leader who’d vote against same sex marriage".
Ms Forbes, Health Secretary Humza Yousaf and former community safety minister Ash Regan are running to replace Nicola Sturgeon as SNP leader and First Minister following her surprise resignation announcement last week.
The Finance Secretary, a member of the Free Church of Scotland, was asked on BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme if her campaign was over before it began.
She replied: "Absolutely not. We have a large party membership, most of whom are not on Twitter.
Strong views
"I understand people have very strong views on these matters. I think the public are longing for politicians to answer straight questions with straight answers and that's certainly what I've tried to do in the media yesterday. That doesn't necessarily allow for much nuance.
"My position on these matters is that I will defend to the hilt everybody's rights in a pluralistic and tolerant society, to live and to love free of harassment and fear."
Ms Forbes later said she regrets the pain caused by her comments. On Times Radio, she said: "I regret enormously the pain or hurt that has been caused because that was neither my intention, and I would seek forgiveness if that is how it's come across."
Ms Forbes added that she defends the rights of LGBT+ people to live "free of harassment, fear and prejudice".
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Gender reform
Ms Forbes has also said she would not have voted for the Scottish Government's controversial Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill in its current form.
As she was on maternity leave, she did not participate in the final vote before the new year but has been clear on her opposition since 2019.
Ms Regan is also opposed to the Scottish Government's gender recognition reforms, stepping down from her role as community safety minister to enable her to vote against the legislation last year.