Kate Elizabeth Forbes who is the Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament became the first woman to deliver the Scottish budget at a very short notice. She blasted Brexit in her speech, held the top rate of income tax at 46 per cent - six per cent higher than the rest of the UK - and announced £1.8billion on projects to tackle climate change.
MSP Forbes only found out that she would announce the budget for the coming year at around 8am today - just after Derek Mackay resigned in disgrace.
She had already made history when she was made public finance and digital economy minister in 2018, by becoming the first government minister who was born in the same decade that the parliament was created.
After setting out the budget, she sat down next to First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who patted her on the arm as the room applauded.
Since becoming a minister, Forbes has worked with Finance Secretary Derek Mackay, whom she was close to, prior to his fall from grace today over claims he sent messages to a 16-year-old boy.
His resignation will dramatically cut short Mr Mackay’s own rise to the top of Scottish politics, but could accelerate the ascent of Forbes in the process.
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