KATE Forbes’s first job in the Scottish Parliament was funded by an anti-abortion Christian lobby group, it has been revealed.
An investigation by openDemocracy found that Forbes’s role as a researcher for former SNP MSP Dave Thompson was funded by Christian Action, Research and Education (CARE).
CARE has funded internship programmes for more than 20 MPs in Westminster since 2010 and is known for its opposition to abortion, LGBT+ rights and sex education in schools.
The group also employs a lobbyist at Holyrood who in recent years has met with numerous MSPs to discuss hate crime and transgender rights legislation amongst other topics.
The leadership programme pays for supporters of the group to become researchers for MSPs for around a year, providing them with an insight into how parliament works and is advertised to attract “talented Christian graduates who have a desire to serve the Lord in public life”.
READ MORE: 'Conspiracy' to hide extent of oil wealth from Scots, Tom Devine says
It is understood that Forbes was employed by Thompson through the CARE internship scheme in 2011, graduating with a history degree from Cambridge University that same year.
When he retired from his role as MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch in 2016, Forbes was his pick to replace him, which she proceeded to do by winning the seat at the 2016 Holyrood election.
Thompson told openDemocracy that CARE interns were employed “to learn, to gain experience” and that he “saw it as helping train them and develop them and stretch them.”
Now a member of the Alba Party and convener of the Christians for Independence campaign group, Thompson said that CARE “identifies people who have leadership characteristics and offers to support them.”
The group reportedly has an annual income of nearly £2 million, although it does not reveal the sources of its funding.
Last week, Forbes said that she would not have voted for the 2014 legislation which legalised same-sex marriage in Scotland.
However, she later said she would “uphold the laws that have been won” and has vowed to “protect the rights of everybody in Scotland, particularly minorities, to live and to love without fear or harassment in a pluralistic and tolerant society.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel