Kate Forbes suffers 'disgraceful' abuse because of her faith, Labour MP Shabana Mahmood says

The deputy First Minister has faced a backlash over her religious beliefs.

Kate Forbes suffers "disgraceful” abuse because of her faith, Labour MP Shabana Mahmood has claimed.

The new Deputy First Minister has faced criticism due to her socially conservative views, particularly her opposition to single-sex marriage and having children outside of marriage.

Ms Forbes is a Christian and member of the Free Church of Scotland, who previously said she would have voted against gay marriage “as a matter of conscience” if she had been a member of Parliament at the time.

Deputy First Minister of Scotland Kate Forbes has faced criticism over her beliefs.

The co-convener of Out4Indy group has previously called Ms Forbes "the last thing our party needs", while the Scottish Greens raised concerns about the Cabinet minister’s “judgemental attitudes” towards social issues.

She has now been defended by Labour’s Ms Mahmood, who told The Spectator the reaction to Ms Forbes was “out of order”.

The Birmingham Ladywood MP said: "I think the way that some people reacted to Kate Forbes’s first campaign and then also the second-time round, that’s disgraceful frankly. Would you really say that the people who are from orthodox traditions of Christianity or the Free Church … that they are not allowed to have any political representation?

"She’s explained where her religious beliefs would and would not affect her decision on policy issues. What more can you do than be honest? I think the way people reacted to that was really out of order. It’s not British".

Ms Forbes has previously promised to serve “all communities”. Speaking previously, she said: “I am here to support the First Minister and together we serve all communities in Scotland as we further and progress the rights of every community in Scotland, and I look forward to doing my part in achieving the Government’s aims in that regard.

“Not just that, but when I joined Government [last week] in a clear role to support the First Minister, I signed up to collective responsibility. So I stand by the Government’s decisions and agenda to improve and progress the rights of all of Scotland’s communities.

“So that I can say on the record, and the Deputy First Minister can say on the record in front of you all, that we give that reassurance and we give that comfort to people in our society, because that’s what we believe.”