SNP leadership candidate Ash Regan has said she firmly supports the right to equal marriage.

She spoke out after Scotland’s Finance Secretary Kate Forbes, who is also running to be Scotland’s next First Minister and SNP leader, came under fire after saying she would not have voted for same-sex marriage.

Ms Regan, former community safety minister, said she that if she becomes First Minister she will work to create a Scotland where everyone feels “safe, included and protected in what they say, what they believe and who they love”.

She, Ms Forbes and Health Secretary Humza Yousaf are standing to replace Ms Sturgeon following her surprise resignation announcement last week.

Ms Forbes, a member of the Free Church of Scotland, lost some of her high profile supporters in the leadership contest after she said she would not have voted for same-sex marriage had she been an MSP when the bill passed in 2014.

She has also said that having children outside of marriage “would be wrong according to my faith” and is something she would personally “seek to avoid”.

Ms Regan, who will launch her campaign later this week, said: “I firmly support the right to equal marriage and I am proud of the SNP Scottish Government’s record in delivering the Equal Marriage Act Scotland in 2014.

“In 2014 everything felt possible as people from across Scotland came together to dream bigger and connect to each other on common purpose, for a better independent Scotland for all.

“Ideas different to our own must not be dismissed but discussed.

“As party leader and First Minister, I will take the SNP forward together, with like minds and critical friends, to create a Scotland where everyone feels safe, included and protected in what they say, what they believe and who they love.

“I believe that you should marry the person you love. Just don’t marry the wrong person – been there, done that. Thankfully we’re still friends!”

Ms Forbes was on maternity leave following the birth of her first child last year when she launched her campaign to succeed Ms Sturgeon on Monday.

Within hours she had revealed she would not have voted for same-sex marriage if she had been in Holyrood when the legislation was passed, with these comments seeing her lose the support of some high-profile backers, including employment minister Richard Lochhead, public finance minister Tom Arthur, and children’s minister Clare Haughey.

She has also said she would not have voted for the Scottish Government’s controversial Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill in its current form.

Ms Regan is also opposed to the legislation – which has been blocked by Westminster – and stepped down from her role as community safety minister last year so she could vote against the Bill.

Mr Yousaf has said that he would not legislate on the basis of his faith and is a supporter of equal marriage.

He has also made clear his support for the gender recognition reform legislation, saying he would challenge the Section 35 order the UK Government used to veto it.