MSP Kate Forbes joins the Scottish cabinet

A TRAIL-blazing Dingwall-based constituency MSP labelled "one to watch" at the last Scottish Politician of the Year awards has won a promotion in a Scottish cabinet shake-up.

Kate Forbes (28) has been appointed Public Finances and Digital Economy Minister. She has represented Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch for the SNP since 2016.

The Dingwall-born politician spent part of her upbringing in Glasgow and India.

Her previous job as an accountant in the banking industry will come in useful.

Ms Forbes said: "It’s a great honour as a Highland MSP to be asked to join the government as a minister."

She led a campaign to ban plastic straws and has participated in several cross-party groups at Holyrood.

The fluent Gaelic speaker made history earlier this year by being the first female MSP to give a plenary speech in Gaelic in the Scottish Parliament chamber.

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