{"id":24937,"date":"2026-02-25T05:16:26","date_gmt":"2026-02-25T05:16:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/microvibenews.com\/?p=24937"},"modified":"2026-02-25T05:16:26","modified_gmt":"2026-02-25T05:16:26","slug":"forbes-says-nothing-lined-up-after-quitting-holyrood-daily-business","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/microvibenews.com\/?p=24937","title":{"rendered":"Forbes says ‘nothing lined up’ after quitting Holyrood \u2013 Daily Business"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Kate Forbes: no plans (pic: Terry Murden \/ DB Media Services)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Kate Forbes, the Deputy First Minister and Economy Secretary, says she has \u201cnothing lined up\u201d and has received no offers of work when she leaves Scottish politics.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Beyond spending more time with her family, she said she would \u201cstep back from my public duties and focus on new opportunities to serve people\u201d. <\/p>\n

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. <\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Speaking to Daily Business<\/em> yesterday she said: \u201cI have nothing lined up, no invitations,\u201d she said. \u201cOne thing I won\u2019t be doing is public affairs or public lobbying.\u201d<\/p>\n

Referring to the start of the pre-election period on 26 March, from which time no new business is introduced to government, she said: \u201cI have five weeks to get lots of things over the line and leave in a good place for my successor.\u201d<\/p>\n

This, she said, included work she has been undertaking on scale-ups and with the United Arab Emirates. Parliament is dissolved on 9 April.<\/p>\n

Ms Forbes was first elected in 2016 and became Scotland\u2019s first female Finance Secretary in 2020. <\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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