Kate Forbes, the Deputy First Minister and Economy Secretary, says she has “nothing lined up” and has received no offers of work when she leaves Scottish politics.
As an SNP leadership contender in 2023, she shocked the political establishment last summer when she announced she would not be contesting the 2026 Scottish elections.
Beyond spending more time with her family, she said she would “step back from my public duties and focus on new opportunities to serve people”.
There were no further indications as to what this might involve, though it prompted speculation that she had a new career in mind, possibly in the third sector or with an advisory organisation.
Given that she has been highly regarded by the business community there will be some surprise that she has received no approaches from Scottish companies.
Speaking to Daily Business yesterday she said: “I have nothing lined up, no invitations,” she said. “One thing I won’t be doing is public affairs or public lobbying.”
Referring to the start of the pre-election period on 26 March, from which time no new business is introduced to government, she said: “I have five weeks to get lots of things over the line and leave in a good place for my successor.”
This, she said, included work she has been undertaking on scale-ups and with the United Arab Emirates. Parliament is dissolved on 9 April.
Ms Forbes was first elected in 2016 and became Scotland’s first female Finance Secretary in 2020.
She lost the vote to become party leader to Humza Yousaf in 2023 and was brought back into a senior position by his successor John Swinney. She is among a number of ministers and high profile SNP MSPs who are not seeking re-election, including Mr Yousaf, Nicola Sturgeon, Shona Robison, Fiona Hyslop, Mairi Gourgeon and Richard Lochhead.
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