Kate Forbes has shared an emotional farewell message after officially leaving frontline politics following a decade at Holyrood.
The former deputy first minister and SNP leadership contender confirmed she was “passing on the baton” to the new MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch after stepping down at this year’s election.
In a heartfelt social media post, Forbes congratulated Liberal Democrat winner Andrew Baxter on his victory and praised defeated SNP candidate Eilidh Munro as “one of the finest candidates” she had ever met.
The 36-year-old wrote: “This morning, I can officially pass on the baton to a new MSP for the constituency of Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, which I have held since I was sworn into the Scottish Parliament a decade ago.
“In all the highs and lows of political service, I know that Highland communities expect their voice to be heard in the seat of power, their priorities to be enacted and their political representatives to be open and accessible.”
Forbes also reflected on taking the oath when she was first elected in 2016, saying she had sought to serve “diligently, with integrity and compassion, before God and my fellow citizens”.
The Highlands politician suggested the post could mark the end of her political updates online.
View 2 ImagesDeputy First Minister Kate Forbes, with First Minister John Swinney, during her last official engagement before standing down as a Member of The Scottish Parliament
She wrote: “This is likely to be my last post on this page for the foreseeable future, unless the urge takes me to start posting about more trivial matters like sunsets, children’s antics and my culinary efforts.”
Forbes thanked supporters for their “many years of support, challenge and engagement” before signing off simply: “Kate”.
The former finance secretary became one of the SNP’s best-known figures and narrowly lost the party’s 2023 leadership contest to Humza Yousaf.
Forbes served under John Swinney as Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Gaelic from May 2024. She also previously served as Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy from 2020 to 2023 under Nicola Sturgeon.
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