FORMER SNP leadership candidate Kate Forbes has hit back at reports claiming she said Humza Yousaf lacks a “big vision” for Scotland.
Writing on Twitter/X, Forbes responded to a report in The Times with the headline, “Humza Yousaf lacks ‘big vision’ for Scotland, suggests Kate Forbes”. The same story had run in other newspapers on Friday morning.
The former finance secretary had been speaking to a Holyrood Sources podcast in Edinburgh on 25 years of devolution, hosted by former chief of staff to Alex Salmond Geoff Aberdein.
She said: “All of us need to be enthused and inspired by what the current big vision is and for individuals who are working there – we too need to be enthused because if we’re not, then there are alternative jobs.”
Forbes added: “People need to be inspired by leadership. They need to be inspired by the thought that things are going to get better. And this is going to be a challenging year all round.
“And as much as I back the party and the current first minister, we can only win elections if you have a big vision we can get behind.”
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Taking to Twitter/X to respond to the report, Forbes said: “If you read my remarks you’ll note they weren’t a criticism of the First Minister.
“Of course we need a big vision to inspire the voters, especially during tough times. The one we share is to build a prosperous economy and improve lives, ultimately through independence.
“Last night’s @HolyroodSources event on 25 yr since devolution was an inspiring tour of big visions – from establishing the Parliament through to holding the referendum.
“And so my question was: what is our vision for change in the next 25 years?”
Yousaf defeated Forbes by 52% to 48% of the vote among SNP members in the leadership contest once the vote preferences of Ash Regan – who has since defected to Alba – had been redistributed.
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