Achi news desk-
But the decision caused serious resentment among Ms Forbes’ supporters and that discontent reverberated throughout her 13 months in office.
Mr Swinney will be hoping that by bringing in the former finance secretary and MLA for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, some of these internal party divisions will be ironed out.
Ms Forbes has herself been vilified in the SNP with some members of the social liberal wing of the party attacking her for her opposition to equal marriage. Indeed, one such critic was Mr Swinney.
Last week Perthshire North MSP told the Herald “Kate and I are over that,” when reminded of her comments.
But while there may be some grumbles among those in the SNP who had formed close allegiances with the Greens during the Bute House Agreement years, among the majority there is likely to be a sense of relief that there could be continued wrangling within the party be ending. .
As well as hoping that the appointment of Ms Forbes will mean drawing a line under the SNP departments, Mr Swinney’s decision to make her number two by hand also suggests that his government will have a new focus on the economy.
Since launching his bid for leadership last Thursday the First Minister has emphasized that he will focus on creating jobs, providing essential public services and fighting child poverty.
Ms Forbes said his vision matched her own as she ruled out standing in the contest.
Together the new FM and DFM will move the Scottish Government back into the mainstream of Scottish politics
Ms Forbes’ appointment is already being enthusiastically welcomed by business organisations.
But in particular the change of direction towards the middle ground also moves away from some of the core issues for the Scottish Greens which have been challenging for the SNP to say the least.
Although close to the hearts of Greens, a ban on conversion therapy, rent controls and replacing gas boilers with heat pumps (housebuilders and other business groups are campaigning against the latter two), would not be considered by the majority. as the urgent priorities for a majority. of voters and had a habit of attracting unwanted negative headlines to Mr Yousaf’s government.
Ms Forbes’ appointment was quickly seized upon by Scottish Green co-leader Patrick Harvie – who was quick to underline the significant difference from the previous Cabinet.
In a statement released after she was unveiled as DFM, Mr Harvie said: “Many people across our country will be very concerned and will want to know that the Scottish Government remains committed to a greener and more equal future for Scotland. .
“When it comes to ensuring fairer and more progressive taxation, a just transition from oil and gas and a watertight ban on so-called conversion therapy, it is vital that this government does not weaken the long-standing commitments he has done them.”
While the Conservatives, Labor and the Liberal Democrats have denounced the new Cabinet – which indeed includes the same members as before plus the addition of Ms Forbes – as ‘the same old, the same old’, in fact the government of Swinney and Forbes will be a very different one to that of Yousaf and Robison – and one that is likely to be a more difficult challenge for the Conservatives and Labor to take on.
