The vindication of Kate Forbes

So much for Scotland being the home of ‘radical’ progressive politics. 

After almost two decades of the Scottish National party saying that Scots are fundamentally different to their neighbours – wiser, more compassionate, just generally better – the party now reckons Scottish voters might just share the same priorities as those south of the border. 

First, SNP members selected 60-year-old former deputy first minister John Swinney – a self-declared centrist – as leader to replace the hapless Humza Yousaf. Members clearly wanted to bring some calm to a party riven with splits over independence strategy and policy priorities.

Then, shortly after Mr Swinney was sworn in as Scotland’s seventh first minister on Wednesday, it was announced that he has selected Kate Forbes to be his second-in-command. This is a recognition that Scotland is a far more ‘small c’ conservative nation than the priorities of recent SNP governments might suggest.

When Nicola Sturgeon stepped down as her party’s leader last year (prompting Swinney’s resignation as deputy first minister), Forbes was, along with Ash Regan and Humza Yousaf, one of three candidates to succeed her.