Kate Forbes will be badly missed at Scottish Parliament
She was catapulted to political stardom at 29, nearly won the election to lead her party and has been number two in the Scottish Government for the past 15 months.
But now Kate Forbes is quitting. The Deputy First Minister and SNP MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, points out that the demands of her job and the four-hour drive between Edinburgh and her constituency mean she often doesn't see her three-year-old daughter from one weekend to the next.
And, quite reasonably, she has decided she does not want to miss out on “any more of these precious early years of family life”.
But Ms Forbes will be badly missed. Her talents are widely recognised not only by fellow Nationalists but also by opponents. And she is seen as bringing an extra credibility to the government.
Elected in 2016, she rose quickly, becoming deputy to Finance Secretary Derek Mackay in 2018. But she found herself suddenly thrust into the front line in 2020 when Mr Mackay was forced to resign on Budget day over allegations he sent inappropriate messages to a 16-year-old boy.
With just a few hours’ notice, Ms Forbes had to deliver the Budget in parliament , but carried it off with aplomb. She won plaudits for her performance and was made Finance Secretary as a result.
When Nicola Sturgeon announced her resignation in 2023, Ms Forbes stood to succeed her in a three-cornered contest with Humza Yousaf and Ash Regan.
She faced controversy over her socially conservative views on issues like gender recognition and same-sex marriage, even though she made clear she would not try to reverse legislation.
And some claimed she would shift the party to the right, despite her strong emphasis on greater equality alongside pro-business policies.
In the final round, Mr Yousaf beat Ms Forbes by 52 per cent to 48 per cent. But in view of the turmoil the party was soon plunged into, with the police tent outside the home of Ms Sturgeon and Peter Murrell, Ms Forbes agreed her defeat meant she had "dodged a bullet".
She was seen as a potential contender for the leadership again when Mr Yousaf resigned in May 2024, but ended up doing a deal with John Swinney and becoming Deputy First Minister.
Her departure at next year’s election is a sad loss not just for the SNP but for the country.