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At the end of the day Humza has answered the question and given the mainstream answer, at the end of the day you may not believe his answer, but if you keep asking the question he will just give the same answer. Unless you want him to take a lie detector test there isn’t much of a story. I’m not sure this is a sexism thing. I don’t think a man would get a free pass on these views in a leadership election to a party claiming to be left wing.

LJS and Kate being caught having an affair would be the story of 2023 for me!

Barry neither you or LJS have a chance with Kate, no way is she looking for an alternative outside her marriage!

I agree, anyone who has any affinity for Scotland (I do) wants some level of competency and Humza seems a complete lightweight who may just win by default. I wonder if one will see the shit show and step up.

I think the big difference here is that labour are (as far as I know) not promoting politician’s with these values to high profile offices and as well as questioning Forbes values you need to question Sturgeons judgement, these views have not come as a huge surprise to anyone. I have checked and 22 labour MPs voted against gay marriage in 2014, I suspect the number would be lower now. I hadn’t heard of most of them (a lot probably not MPs now) but I don’t think any hold high profile roles in labour shadow cabinet. My view is you couldn’t get promoted to the level of Forbes in Labour in 2023 with those views, happy to criticise any labour MP in that position if that changes.

However her views could influence her leadership and these questions need to be asked. If you ask I’m obsessed then I will hold my hands up to an obsession related to the principles of equality which I am sure you share. Minorities need politicians like Forbes to stand up for them. The answer to a question about conversion therapy is about as easy as you can get, there is no magic wand to stop people being gay, neither is it an issue someone being gay. As the labour leader Starmer says it should be banned full stop. She is not getting abuse, although it should be noted she is trying to make out she is the one being discriminated against, not the gay couples who she believes their relationships don’t have the same value as hers.

Just watched another car crash interview with Forbes about conversion therapy where she can’t give a straight answer and keeps talking about coercion. I take it she means that those poorly gays who have feel shamed and broken down should be able to go to her amazing church and learn not to be gay anymore and be pure like her. This homophonic bigot should be removed from the SNP government not just the leadership election. I just couldn’t see anyone with these views being promoted to such a lofty position by labour in 2023.

I mean when someone in that type of church fobs off questions about gay marriage, you can make a strong assumption what they think. I think she could have probably got away with saying she wouldn’t have voted in 2015, but she has evolved her views following its implementation. The truth is she believes gay people shouldn’t have the same rights as “normal” people like her. While she may not try to ban gay marriage (not that the votes are there anyway) it’s reasonable to question this part of her character and her character will influence her leadership.

I must have been psychic then!!

As LJS says, nobody wants to be the SNP David Moyes.

Could you honestly see Labour in 2023 handing a prominent role to an MP who didn’t support gay marriage, I just couldn’t see it happening.

I think it’s pretty weird in 2023. I know a few Christians and none could care less if men marry, what difference does it make to them? To me the point is (whether you think weird or not) she was known to have the views on Sunday/Monday when SNP politicians got behind her, why did they change their mind when her views hadn’t changed .

Several SNP politicians endorsed her for leader 2 days ago and changed their mind yesterday or today. I don’t really understand that as her weird views were already known.

How about the politicians, they all knew her views on gay marriage and endorsed her. Why then change their mind when she confirmed what everyone knew.

I think there are loads of christians that are not anti abortion, my parents certainly are not. I don’t think all Christians should be tarred by the extremes like Forbes.

I mean Humza religion may not approve of gay marriage, but Humza does. There isn’t really a story there. I assume some people believe in some aspects of their religions and not others. Then you get the hardcore nutters like Forbes who blindly support it all. I think the reality is Kate Forbes could only lead a right wing nationalist party, but I think the SNP is more right wing than LJS believes, so may be proven wrong. Interestingly Wales will also choose a new leader this year and my guess is all candidates will fully support gay marriage.

I find this withdrawing support weird and LJS can probably explain it better as he has done similar. These people all supported her and were aware she had dodgy views, I have highlighted them for a few years so there was no secrets. I don’t think there was any doubt she didn’t believe in gay marriage so why the shock and removal of endorsements. I struggle to see what has really changed, or did the increased media profile scare a few and the rest followed the crowd?

At the same time I don’t pick up any great enthusiasm from you about his leadership bid. Definitely feels more like least worst than best.

Forbes seems to think that it’s just people on twitter moaning. I wonder is she has a point and the SNP are more right wing when you think. I hope she does win as it would be a dream for labour to put her bigoted views on their election material. It would also be difficult for those on the left of the SNP to get behind someone who doesn’t believe gay people should have the same rights as straight people and could cause party division.

They asked Humza whether he supported marriage equality and he said yes. I think the key thing is Forbes is saying she would let her religion dictate how she would vote and Humza has not. It is perfectly reasonable to question people who don’t think gay people should have the same rights as straight people.

I feel the best option is some kind of hybrid where people do a bit of both. I think it’s important we don’t prioritise the mental health over the old over the young, need to find some middle ground.

Is there also not a risk that jobs where it is impossible to work from home will suffer recruitment issues if too many people are home working? I think it’s a complex discussion and best position is probably somewhere in the middle.

That’s fine if you have today’s people ready to go, I don’t get the impression that is the case. However you are in Scotland so have a better grasp on things, do you rate the other 2? Hamza seems like he may win, just because he isn’t one of the others.

I wonder if someone like Angus or Swinney will see the shit show and stand up as a “safe pair of hands”. As you say they seem lightweight, but I don’t know them well, so maybe I’m missing something. This “faith” excuse is bollocks. My parents go to church and believe in equality and tolerance. They feed the homeless and volunteers as street pastors. They do not give a shit who people choose to have sex with or who they choose to marry. People like Forbes give religion a bad name.

The trouble is I am findIng my end that the people who don’t like being in the office are getting what they want, but this is coming at the expense of younger/inexperienced people who need that physical support network. In many cases it’s not as simple as all benefit/loss, we are instead having to choose who the losers are.