FORBES PLANS ON CONTINUING LEADERSHIP CAMPAIGN “AT THE MOMENT”

Kate Forbes has given another toe-curling interview that furthers the impression she is taking absolutely no media handling advice throughout this SNP leadership campaign. Asked by STV whether she plans on seeing the campaign through, she replied “at the moment”. Twice…

STV: Are you going to see your campaign through?
KF: At the moment, yes.
STV: At the moment yes?
KF: Yes, I am committed to giving that choice to the SNP voters
STV: But even just saying ‘at the moment yes’ does that mean at some point you may consider your position and just pull out?
KF: No, I’m committed to seeing the campaign through
STV: So you’ll see it through, to the end, to the 27th March?
KF: At the moment, yep

“Of the moment, of the moment, I told you to say ‘of the f***ing moment’,” to quote Malcolm Tucker…

Forbes raises a fascinating constitutional scenario that Guido hasn’t seen anyone else pick up on yet: the Holyrood vote to confirm the new First Minister. In May 2021, Sturgeon was elected First Minister by the Scottish Parliament, though with only 64 votes out of 129.

In the unlikely event Forbes wins the leadership contest, it’s very clear the loony left Greens wouldn’t vote for her, and Guido now hears rumours some socially progressive SNP MSPs couldn’t bring themselves to endorse her for the top job either. Failing to win such a vote would give Holyrood 28 days to find and appoint a new First Minister, and failing that it’s likely there’d have to be an election. Given this has never happened before, however, we’d be in major uncharted constitutional territory…