SNP MSPs are planning to scupper Kate Forbes’ bid to lead the country by refusing to vote for her as First Minister.
Her opposition to same sex marriage could pave the way for Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar to succeed Nicola Sturgeon.
It comes as a new poll found the finance secretary to be the most popular of the contenders to take over.
But an SNP insider said: "Some MSPs will not vote for Kate.”
Forbes has attracted huge criticism after she said she would have voted against gay marriage in 2014 and described having children out of wedlock as “wrong”.
Her comments led to supporters deserting her campaign, but she has vowed to stay in the three way contest with health secretary Humza Yousaf and backbencher Ash Regan.
A senior party source told the Record Forbes would struggle to become First Minister even if she was elected SNP leader.
The source said up to six SNP MSPs would not vote for her as FM:
“Very strong feelings have been aroused in the early days of this campaign because issues raised are so fundamental to who we are as a party, a people and a Government.
“Who we are matters to politicians and it shapes how they vote. Some MSPs will not vote for Kate as First Minister, given what she has said.”
It is also understood the Scottish Greens, who share power with the SNP, will quit the Government if Forbes is crowned leader.
The failure of seven Green MSPs and six SNP members to back Forbes in a vote for First Minister would bring her total in any Holyrood vote to 58.
If the pro-UK parties rallied around a candidate like Sarwar, they would have 57 votes - putting the result on a knife edge.
Forbes’ opposition to same sex marriage cost her the support of early backers, including Ministers Tom Arthur, Claire Haughey and Richard Lochhead, as well as backbencher Gillian Martin.
Despite her troubles, a poll of SNP supporters has shown Forbes is the most popular candidate to succeed Sturgeon.
Scots who voted for Sturgeon were questioned on who they think should replace her.
Almost a third (31%) of those questioned said they do not yet know who to back.
But 28% said they support Forbes, putting her ahead of Yousaf and Regan, who polled 20% and 7% respectively.
It is the first survey of SNP supporters to be carried out since the leadership contest began.
The poll, carried out for communications agency the Big Partnership, involved 1,001 Scots who voted SNP in 2021.
They were questioned between Monday and Wednesday this week, which coincided with the rows over gay marriage and children out of wedlock.
Forbes tried to defuse the row over same sex marriage by saying she was “greatly burdened” that offence had been caused.
In a statement, she said: “I feel greatly burdened that some of my responses to questions in the media have caused hurt, which was never my intention as I sought to answer questions clearly.
“I will defend to the hilt the right of everybody in Scotland, particularly minorities, to live and to live without fear or harassment in a pluralistic and tolerant society.
“I will uphold the laws that have been won, as a servant of democracy, and seek to enhance the rights of everybody to live in a way which enables them to flourish.
“I firmly believe in the inherent dignity of each human being – that underpins all ethical and political decisions I make.”
Forbes also said her Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch constituents are in “full knowledge” of her religious views and are “comfortable” knowing she would serve “faithfully and without prejudice”.
She added: “It is possible to be a person of faith, and to defend others’ rights to have no faith or a different faith.”
The Finance Secretary had earlier clashed with Deputy First Minister John Swinney after he questioned whether it would be appropriate for someone with her views to be SNP leader.
She hit back: “The prime minister is a Hindu, the mayor of London is a Muslim.
“So many will wonder why the deputy first minister believes a woman holding Christian views should be disqualified from holding high office in Scotland.”
A Scottish Labour spokesman said: “It’s clear that the wheels have come off the SNP’s wagon and that the claymores are being sharpened.
“While the SNP turn on each other, Scottish Labour is listening to the Scottish people. Scottish Labour is the change that our country needs.”
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