FORBES IS OUT IN FRONT

One in four backs her | Yousaf pays price over health brief

- ANDREW QUINN

KATE Forbes has surged ahead in the SNP leadership contest according to a new poll - with rival Humza Yousaf hitting out over equal marriage dominating the campaign.

The poll published yesterday found that Forbes is the preferred candidate for next SNP leader and first minister among Scots voters - including those of other parties.

The survey of 1026 voters put the finance secretary ahead despite the backlash over her views on gay marriage and having children outside of wedlock.

An earlier poll had her ahead among SNP supporters.

Forbes had said she would not have voted for gay marriage had she been an MSP due to her Christian beliefs and that unmarried couples should not have kids.

Yousaf has also come under pressure on the issue, after missing a key vote on gay marriage in 2014.

Former minister Alex Neil claimed Yousaf, who is a Muslim, deliberately arranged a ministerial meeting to avoid the vote after coming under "pressure from the Mosque".

The Panelbase poll for the Sunday Times found that 23 per cent of voters would prefer Forbes to be the next SNP leader and first minister.

Only 15 per cent said they would like Yousaf and seven per cent said they wanted Ash Regan. Some 49 per cent said they didn't know.

The poll put Forbes in the lead for preference to be first minister among SNP members at 20 per cent. Yousaf was at 18 per cent with Regan at nine per cent.

The poll also asked voters about the candidates' performance in their ministerial roles in terms of whether they were doing a good or bad job.