London — Scottish finance minister Kate Forbes said on Monday she would run in the leadership contest to replace Nicola Sturgeon as Scottish National Party leader and Scotland's first minister.
Sturgeon’s unexpected exit has left a question mark over the SNP’s fight for independence as the Westminster government has blocked its attempts to hold a second vote after a 2014 referendum saw Scotland vote 55% to 45% to remain part of the UK. “We need a leader who’s bold, brave and energised, fresh-faced and ready for new challenges. Somebody who inspires your confidence as an SNP member, and who inspires the confidence of the people of Scotland to vote for a better future. I am that leader.”
A fluent Gaelic speaker, Forbes studied history at the Universities of Cambridge and Edinburgh and worked as an accountant in the banking industry before entering parliament.