‘Feisty’ performance sees young MSP win praise for stepping up

Kate Forbes made history on a budget day that was unlike any other.

At 29, the Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch MSP became the youngest politician to deliver a Scottish Budget since devolution, and the first woman to do so in Holyrood or Westminster.

And she did it despite having had less than 24 hours notice to prepare, in the wake of the shock departure of her friend and boss, Finance Secretary Derek Mackay.

The first line of her speech, which was presumably written for or by Mr Mackay, said the budget would offer “vision and leadership at a crucial moment for our country”.

In fact, it often felt more like it was Ms Forbes who was offering leadership at a crucial time for her party, providing a ray of light on an otherwise dark day for the SNP.

Her performance was so assured, even described as “feisty” by one colleague, that Nicola Sturgeon will now be under pressure to give her the second most important job in government on a permanent basis.

Conservative MSP Miles Briggs described it as the “longest job interview in history”, but if it was, the public finance minister showed no nerves, while flanked by the first minister and deputy first minister, and surrounded by potential rivals for Mr Mackay’s former post.

With cameras trained on the qualified accountant, who was first elected to Holyrood in 2016 and appointed a minister in 2018, she spoke for 32 minutes, before taking questions for a further 47 minutes.

Whatever happens next for the young Highland MSP, it is certain to remain a day that will live long in her memory, and that of many others.

Picture: PA. Kate Forbes addressing the parliament, watched by Deputy First Minister John Swinney.