Humza Yousaf | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
.jpg) Official portrait, 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| First Minister of Scotland | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 29 March 2023 – 7 May 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Monarch | Charles III | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deputy | Shona Robison | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Nicola Sturgeon | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | John Swinney | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Leader of the Scottish National Party | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 27 March 2023 – 6 May 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Depute | Keith Brown | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Nicola Sturgeon | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | John Swinney | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Member of the Scottish Parliament forGlasgow Pollok | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 5 May 2016 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Johann Lamont | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Majority | 7,105 (21.0%) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Member of the Scottish Parliament forGlasgow (1 of 7 Regional MSPs) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 5 May 2011 – 5 May 2016 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | Humza Haroon Yousaf (1985-04-07)7 April 1985 (age 39) Rutherglen, South Lanarkshire, Scotland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Political party | Scottish National Party | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouses | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Children | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Education | Hutchesons' Grammar School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alma mater | University of Glasgow | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Signature |  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Website | humzayousaf | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Humza Haroon Yousaf (/ˈhʌmzəˈjuːsəf/;[1] born 7 April 1985) is a Scottish politician who served asFirst Minister of Scotland andLeader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) from March 2023 to May 2024. He served under his predecessorNicola Sturgeon asjustice secretary from 2018 to 2021 and then ashealth secretary from 2021 to 2023. He has beenMember of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) forGlasgow Pollok since 2016, having previously been aregional MSP forGlasgow from 2011 to 2016.
Born to Pakistani immigrants in Glasgow, Yousaf studied politics at theUniversity of Glasgow, before working as aparliamentary assistant forBashir Ahmad, the first Muslim and the firstsecond-generation immigrant elected to theScottish Parliament. Following Ahmad's death in 2009, Yousaf went on to work as a parliamentary assistant for bothAlex Salmond and Sturgeon. Prior to his election at the2011 Scottish Parliament election, he worked in the SNP's party headquarters as a communications officer. Appointed as ajunior minister under Salmond in 2012, Yousaf served asMinister for External Affairs and International Development until 2014.
Yousaf supportedSturgeon's successful leadership bid in 2014 and after she was sworn in as first minister, he was subsequently appointed asEurope minister before being appointedMinister for Transport and the Islands in 2016. As part of a cabinet reshuffle of Sturgeon's second ministry in 2018, Yousaf was promoted to the cabinet as justice secretary. He introduced a controversialhate-speech bill to parliament which ultimately became law as theHate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021.[2][3] In 2021, he was appointedhealth secretary during the later phase of theCOVID-19 pandemic and was responsible for theNHS's recovery, as well as the mass roll-out of thevaccination programme which began under his predecessor.
Following Sturgeon's resignation as leader of the SNP and as first minister, Yousaf won the2023 SNP leadership election. Yousaf was appointed first minister on 29 March 2023, becoming the youngest person, the firstScottish Asian, and the firstMuslim to serve in office. He was sworn into thePrivy Council in May 2023.[4] In April 2024, he formed aminority government after terminatinga power-sharing agreement with theScottish Greens. After facing an imminentmotion of no confidence amida government crisis, he announced his intention to resign as first minister and party leader on 29 April 2024.[5][6] He formally resigned on 7 May 2024 and was succeeded byJohn Swinney, becoming the second-shortest-serving first minister, afterHenry McLeish.
Humza Yousaf was born on 7 April 1985 inRutherglen Maternity Hospital inRutherglen,South Lanarkshire.[7][8] He is a son offirst-generationPakistaniPunjabi MuslimRajput immigrants:[9] his father Mian Muzaffar Yousaf Arain was born inMian Channu,Punjab, Pakistan, and emigrated from the city with his family in the 1960s, eventually working as an accountant.[10][11]His paternal grandfather worked in theSinger sewing machine factory inClydebank in the 1960s.[12] Yousaf's mother, Shaaista Bhutta, was born inNairobi, Kenya, to a family of Pakistani-Punjabi descent.[13][12] Due to their non-African background, her family was regularly harassed and occasionally assaulted: following an incident where her mother was attacked with an axe, they emigrated to Scotland.[14]
Humza attendedMearns Primary School inEast Renfrewshire.[15][16][17] Yousaf was one of two ethnic-minority pupils to attend his primary school.[14] Yousaf was privately educated atHutchesons' Grammar School, an independent school in Glasgow, where hisModern Studies lessons inspired him to become involved in politics.[18][19]
He described theSeptember 11 attacks as the "day that changed the world and for me" when he was 16 years old. Prior to the attack, Yousaf was close to two pupils whom he sat next to in his registration class, but after the attack in New York, he claims that they asked him questions such as, "Why do Muslims hate America?"[14]
Yousaf studied politics at the University of Glasgow where he was President of theGlasgow University Muslim Students Association.[14][20] He graduated in 2007 with aMaster of Arts (MA).[21]
| ||
|---|---|---|
Secretary for Justice (2018–2021) Health Secretary (2021–2023) First Minister of Scotland (2023–2024)  | ||
From an early age, Yousaf was involved in community work, ranging from youth organisations to charity fundraising.[22] He was the volunteer media spokesperson for the charityIslamic Relief,[22] worked for community radio for twelve years and on a project which provided food packages to homeless people and asylum seekers in Glasgow.[23]
Yousaf joined theScottish National Party (SNP) in 2005, while studying at Glasgow university. Speeches by then-party leaderAlex Salmond and anti-war activistRose Gentle speaking out against theIraq War convinced him that independence would be the only way for Scotland to avoid going to war.[24] He started campaigning extensively for the SNP, including for the2007 Scottish Parliament election, which resulted in thefirst SNP government in Scotland and Yousaf's first job in the Scottish parliament.[14]
In 2006, Yousaf worked in anO2call centre,[25] before working as a parliamentary assistant forBashir Ahmad, from Ahmad's election as Scotland's first Muslim MSP in 2007 until Ahmad's death two years later.[26] Ahmad was a personal influence. Yousaf then worked as parliamentary assistant for a few other MSPs includingAnne McLaughlin,Nicola Sturgeon and Alex Salmond, who was thenFirst Minister.[27][28] Before his election to theScottish Parliament, he worked in the SNP's headquarters as a communications officer.[25]
In 2008, while working as an aide, Yousaf partook of theInternational Visitor Leadership Program, a professional exchange run by theUnited States Department of State.[29] He was awarded the "Future Force of Politics" at the Young Scottish Minority Ethnic Awards in 2009, which was presented to him inGlasgow City Chambers.[30]
Yousaf was elected to the Scottish Parliament as anadditional member for theGlasgow electoral region in the2011 election.[31][32] At 26 years old, he was the youngest MSP to be elected to the4th parliament.[33] When being sworn in, he took his oath in English and then inUrdu, reflecting his Scottish-Pakistani identity;[34] he was dressed in a traditionalsherwani decorated with aPartick Thistle tartan touch, and a plaid draped over his shoulder.[35]
He served on the SNP'sbackbenches and was a member of theparliament's justice and public audit committees.[36] On 25 May 2011, Yousaf was appointed as a Parliamentary Liaison Officer to theOffice of the First Minister, remaining in this post until 4 September 2012.[37]
On 5 September 2012, First Minister Alex Salmond appointed Yousaf asMinister for External Affairs and International Development, responsible for external affairs, international development; fair trade policy and diaspora.[38] This junior ministerial appointment saw him working under theCabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs. He was the firstScottish Asian and Muslim to be appointed as a minister to theScottish Government.[39][40]
.jpg)
In October 2013, he outlined the SNP's plans to set out the United Nations target foroverseas aid at 0.7% in an independent Scotland and accused the UK Government of going back on its promise in the2010 coalition agreement to guarantee that level of spending.[41] Yousaf also outlined that an independent Scotland would "add a progressive voice to global issues promoting peace, equality and fairness" and added independence would be "achieved through a democratic, peaceful means without a single drop of blood being spilled and engaging with all the diverse communities that make up our rich tapestry in Scotland.".[42]
WhenNicola Sturgeon became First Minister in November 2014 following Salmond's resignation, she kept Yousaf as a junior minister, although the name of the position he held was changed to theMinister for Europe and International Development.[43]
On 18 May 2016, he was appointed asMinister for Transport and the Islands following the formation ofSturgeon's second government.[44]
On 26 June 2018, Sturgeonreshuffled hercabinet. She promoted Yousaf to theScottish cabinet to serve asCabinet Secretary for Justice, succeedingMichael Matheson.[45] In the year prior to his appointment (2017–18), 244,504 crimes were recorded by the police in Scotland; in the final year of his tenure (2020–21), the figure was 246,511.[46]
One of his flagship policies was theHate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Bill, which he promised would streamline existing legislation as well as add additional protections to minorities while maintaining rights to freedom of speech and freedom of expression.[47] The bill has been criticised by the Catholic Church, theNational Secular Society as well as writers,[48] and in September 2020 it was amended to remove prosecution for cases of unintentionally stirring up hate, which could theoretically include libraries stocking contentious books.[49] Despite his initial promises, Yousaf in October 2020 said that the exception to thePublic Order Act 1986 which allows people to use "otherwise illegal language" in their own homes should be abolished.[50]
.jpg)
In the2021 Scottish Parliament election, Yousaf was re-elected as the MSP for the Glasgow Pollok constituency. The SNP fell two seats short of an overall majority in the election, but remained the largest party, with more than double the seats of theScottish Conservatives. Sturgeon formed athird administration and appointed Yousaf as theCabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, succeedingJeane Freeman, who stepped down at the election.[51]
.jpg)
Yousaf entered office amidst the ongoingCOVID-19 pandemic. In June 2021, he said that ten children up to the age of nine had been admitted to Scottish hospitals in the previous week "because of COVID".[52] Professor Steve Turner, Scotland officer for the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, contradicted him and said that children's wards were "not seeing a rise in cases with Covid". He added that the children in question had been hospitalised for other reasons. Yousaf clarified his statement and apologised for "any undue alarm".[53]
In July, the World Health Organisation concluded that six out of Europe's ten virus hotspots were in Scotland.[54] Tayside topped the list with 1,002 cases per 100,000 head of population over the previous fortnight.[55] The Scottish Government was accused of being 'missing in action' after it emerged that First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, Deputy First Minister John Swinney and Yousaf were all on holiday.[56] Yousaf said he had promised to take his stepdaughter to Harry Potter World, tweeting that: "Most important job I have is being a good father, step-father & husband to my wife and kids. In the last seven months they've had virtually no time from me."[57]
In September 2021, the average waiting time for an ambulance in Scotland soared to six hours and Yousaf urged the public to "think twice" before they called 999. Scottish Conservative health spokesman DrSandesh Gulhane criticised the remark as "reckless messaging [that] could put lives at risk" and instead urged people to call an ambulance if they thought they needed one.[58] Following reports of elderly Scots dying while waiting for an ambulance to arrive,[59] Yousaf asked theMinistry of Defence for help and soldiers from theBritish Army were deployed to drive ambulances.[60] Audit Scotland concluded that 500 people died in Scotland in 2021 due to delayed access to emergency treatment.[61]
On 15 February 2023, Nicola Sturgeon resigned asLeader of the Scottish National Party and First Minister of Scotland, which triggered aleadership election within the SNP to elect her successor.[62][63][64] On 18 February, Yousaf declared his candidacy for leader in an interview with theSunday Mail.[65][66] He committed to challenging theUK Government over its decision to block theGender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill and stated he wanted to increase support for Scottish independence before delivering a referendum.[67][68]
Yousaf launched his leadership campaign in Clydebank on 20 February.[69] He said he was not "wedded" with using the2024 United Kingdom general election as ade facto referendum onScottish independence and that one of the issues would be the inability for 16-year-olds and 17-year-olds to vote.[70][71] Yousaf reaffirmed his commitment to defend the Scottish Parliament against the UK Government's Section 35 order, which aims to block the gender reform bill.[72] He added that he could not pretend the bill had not "caused some division" within his party and stated he was "keen to work with those who have got real concerns".[72]
During the campaign, Yousaf faced questions on why he missed the vote on theMarriage and Civil Partnership Act (2014). He said at the time that he was meeting the Pakistani consul to discuss the case of a Scotsman facing the death penalty for blasphemy.[73] Yousaf stated his support for theGender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill, while his opponentsKate Forbes andAsh Regan opposed it.[74]
As confirmed on 27 March 2023, Yousaf won the leadership race, after being victorious in both rounds of voting. He won the first round with 48.2% of first-preference votes, ahead of Forbes who received 40.7%, and Regan who received 11.1%, thus eliminating Regan. He then won the final round of voting with 52.1% of the vote compared to Forbes with 47.9%.[75] Yousaf accepted the leadership at an event atMurrayfield Stadium where he promised to lead the party in the interest of all its members.[76]
Yousaf was sworn in asFirst Minister of Scotland on 29 March 2023, after receiving theRoyal Warrant of Appointment byKing Charles III,[77][78] becoming the youngest person and the firstScottish Asian andMuslim tohold the office since it was created in 1999.[79][80] In September 2023, theNew Statesman named him the thirteenth-most powerful left-wing figure in the UK.[81]
Yousaf worked to challenge theUK Government's section 35 order of theGender Recognition Reform Bill.[82] During his first meeting with the UK prime minister,Rishi Sunak, Yousaf requested asection 30 order to hold asecond referendum on Scottish independence.[83][84] Sunak has rejected the request.[85]
In June 2023, Yousaf launched the fourthBuilding a New Scotland paper which focused on the constitution of an independent Scotland. Yousaf declared that there would be a written constitution for an independent Scotland, claiming that such a constitution would set a benchmark in which no future Scottish Government could fall short of as it would be a constitution enshrined into Scots law. Yousaf declared that the government had placed a commitment to a constitution that gave the population "the right to access a system of healthcare free at the point of need, as well as rules on land ownership and environmental provisions".[86] The previous three papers in the series were published by Yousaf's predecessor, Nicola Sturgeon.[87]
Opposition parties in Scotland criticised Yousaf and the Scottish Government for "focusing on the wrong priorities". A spokesman for the UK Government said "We want to work constructively with the Scottish government to tackle our shared challenges because that is what families and businesses in Scotland expect" and that "this is not the time to be talking about distracting constitutional change".[86]
On 27 July 2023, Yousaf launched the fifth paper in theBuilding a New Scotland series entitledCitizenship in an independent Scotland. The prospectus set out the Scottish Government's proposals for citizenship and passports in an independent Scotland, with the Scottish Government seeking to pursue an "inclusive" model similar to that in theRepublic of Ireland. People born outside Scotland would automatically be entitled to Scottish citizenship under the plans if at least one of their parents were Scottish, and Scottish people resident in Scotland at the time of independence would be entitled to hold dual Scottish and British citizenship should it be desired.[88] The paper commits an independent Scotland to remaining a member of theCommon Travel Area, meaning that there would be no hard border between Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom on land or at sea.[88] Scottish citizens would have the right to a Scottish passport on the day of independence, however, British passports held by Scots after independence would remain valid until their date of expiry.[88]
Yousaf entered office amid the ongoingcost of living crisis.[89] He expressed support for the introduction of thedeposit return scheme, but not in its current form, suggesting it should exclude small businesses.[90] He emphasised the need for a wellbeing economy and has proposed introducing a newwealth tax to raise money for morewelfare benefits.[91][92]
During the early days of his tenure as First Minister, Scotland's drugs death had fallen to its lowest levels in five years, however, it still had a higher drug death rate than the other countries of the United Kingdom and other countries in Europe.[93] As First Minister, Yousaf advocated that the Scottish Government supports decriminalising drugs for personal use.[93] The Scottish Government stated that they aimed to provide 1,000 residential rehabilitation beds a year from 2026, prioritising spending more than £100 million on improving access to drug rehabilitation services.[93]
Yousaf argued that "more radical approaches are needed to tackle drug deaths and addiction" in Scotland on the backdrop of high levels of drug related deaths, despite a decline.[94] Yousaf urged the UK Government to examine the evidence surrounding drug rehabilitation rooms and to introduce such a facility inGlasgow, an area of Scotland's with considerably high drug related deaths and incidents.[94] However, theHome Office repeatedly rejected calls that would see sites established where users can take drugs under the supervision of medical professionals. Despite a report published by the Westminster Home Affairs Committee that recommended the establishment of a pilot drug consumption room in Glasgow, the Home Office again rejected calls for such a pilot scheme to be commissioned, leading to intervention from the First Minister who urged the UK Government to look at the evidence highlighted in the Home Affairs Committee report, and if calls were consistently rejected, then powers for the creation of drug rehabilitation rooms should be devolved to the Scottish Parliament.[94]
Yousaf was challenged to review the long running Scottish Government policy of free university tuition, withUniversity of Edinburgh vice-chancellor Peter Mathieson saying that allowing wealthier families to pay was "worthy of calm consideration". Yousaf disputed calls for a review of the policy, saying that he was "very proud" of the SNP's long opposition to any fees for education in Scotland.[95] He highlighted his support and commitment to the continuation of free tuition in Scotland by saying he was "absolutely committed to ensuring we have free education" and that "university education should be on the ability to learn not the ability to pay".[95]
Yousaf was largely criticised for saying he would stop the roll out of free school meals in Scotland in favour of a more targeted approach. Yousaf was urged to reconsider this decision, with opponents arguing that the stop of the roll out would by a "betrayal" of children in Scotland.[96] Yousaf used his own daughter as an example, and argued as to whether his daughter should be entitled to free school meals considering Yousaf's high salary as First Minister of Scotland.[96] Opponents in the Scottish Parliament accused Yousaf of "flip flopping" over free school meals policy.[97] After mounting pressure on the backdrop of his statement, Yousaf pledged his support and commitment to free school meals and reaffirmed that the policy of free school meals in Scotland would not be ending and confirmed the Scottish Government's plans to introduce free school meals entitlement in secondary school, however, Yousaf did not provide a timescale for this delivery.[98]
In August 2023, Yousaf launched the Reading Schools project, a replacement initiative of the First Minister's Reading Challenge which was established under Yousaf's predecessor Nicola Sturgeon. 371 schools across Scotland have become accredited as "reading schools", with the hope of an additional 511 schools looking to have joined the project in the future. This is "an accreditation programme for schools that are committing to building a reading culture for their learners and communities".[99] Yousaf claimed that it was the intention of the Scottish Government to "see every school in Scotland become part of the scheme in the next three to five years" to promote and improve reading in Scottish schools.[100]
In September 2023, Yousaf launched his first Programme for Government. The programme for government focuses on reducing poverty, delivering economic growth, tackle climate change and provide high quality public services.[101]
Yousaf entered office as First Minister on the backdrop of the Supreme Court ruling that the Scottish Government does not have the power to legislate for another referendum on Scottish independence.[102] His predecessor, Nicola Sturgeon, had, prior to leaving office, published a series of Scottish Government papers on Scottish independence, titledBuilding a New Scotland.[103]
In December 2023, Yousaf met with Turkish PresidentRecep Tayyip Erdoğan without UK officials, leadingForeign SecretaryDavid Cameron to issue a warning, threatening to withdrawFCDO support for Scottish ministers due to a breach of protocol.[104]
Yousaf's first international visit as First Minister was toBrussels in June 2023,[105] which, during a three-day visit, sought to set out his "vision for a meaningful and mutually beneficial relationship" between Scotland and the European Union.[106] Yousaf declared his desire to set up a permanent Scottish Government envoy to the European Union in Brussels to "aid the cause of independence".[107][106] Yousaf used the visit to Brussels to reiterate the SNP's position on the European Union and future membership should Scotland become independent, citing that a majority of Scottish voters voted to remain a member of the European Union in the 2016 referendum on UK membership of the European Union. However, theSpanish Government "professed" opposition to future Scottish membership of the European Union, citing fears that a future independent Scotland would lead to advancements inCatalonia's attempts for independence from Spain. Yousaf said that the Spanish Government made it "abundantly clear" and that he "agrees with the Spanish Government – that the situation in Scotland and Catalonia are different".[108]
Yousaf andPrime Minister of PakistanShehbaz Sharif met in May 2023 in London, with both Yousaf and Sharif declaring a commitment to "further strengthen historic ties between Pakistan and Scotland, including in the domains of trade, investment, education, water management, wind & solar technology and people to people links".[109]
During the SNP leadership bid, Yousaf was highly criticised and dubbed as "embarrassing" by asking "where are all the men?" when meeting a group of Ukrainian women.[110] The group of women explained to Yousaf that their husbands were in Ukraine continuing to engage in resistance to theRussian invasion of Ukraine. Yousaf told theBBC that there were in fact Ukrainian men in the building and that the group of women he had addressed the question to did not appear to take offence.[110]Alex Cole-Hamilton of theScottish Liberal Democrats described the blunder as "clumsy, insensitive and displays a real ignorance of international affairs" from the "man who is about to lead Scotland".[110]
In August 2023, Yousaf attended a wreath laying ceremony in Edinburgh to commemorate Ukraine's independence day. During the event, Yousaf reaffirmed Scotland's support towards Ukraine and stated that Scotland "stands in absolute solidarity with Ukraine". He also highlighted that Scotland had welcomed more than 25,000 Ukrainian people since the Russian invasion in February 2022.[111] He said that it was important for countries in Europe and around the world to continue to pledge their support for Ukraine and assist the Ukrainian efforts in any way possible, and that following the war, that those countries help Ukraine to rebuild.[111] Yousaf thanked the Ukrainians who had settled in Scotland for their contributions to Scotland and said that Scotland would be their home for as long as possibly needed.[111]
Yousaf condemnedHamas's October 2023 attack on Israel.[112] He called for a ceasefire in theIsrael–Hamas war and criticised Israel'sblockade andbombing of the Gaza Strip thatkilled thousands of Palestinian civilians, saying that "Israel has a right to protect itself from terror, but that cannot be at the price of innocent men, women and children who have nothing to do with those attacks. That collective punishment has to be condemned."[113][114] On 1 November 2023, he condemned Israel for the "blatant disregard for human life" afterairstrikes on theJabalia refugee camp in Gaza.[115] He called on Home SecretarySuella Braverman to resign after she brandedpro-Palestinian protesters "hate marchers" and far-right counter-protesters subsequently clashed with police in London.[116] Yousaf accused her of "fanning the flames of division".[117]
After Yousaf terminated theBute House Agreement between the SNP and Scottish Greens, he faced imminent votes of no confidence in himself and his government. Yousaf announced his intention to resign as SNP leader and First Minister of Scotland on 29 April 2024.[6]John Swinney waselected unopposed as his successor and Yousaf formally resigned on 7 May.[118]
At a event in Edinburgh in August 2024, Yousaf admitted that he had made a mistake when he ended the Bute House Agreement with the Scottish Greens.[119]
In November 2024, theDaily Record reported that Yousaf had submitted his application to be a candidate at the next Holyrood election,[120] however a month later Yousaf announced that, in fact, he would not seek re-election as an MSP in 2026.[121]
Yousaf has been described associally progressive.[122][66][123] He is a follower of his predecessor, Nicola Sturgeon, and is in favour of continuing her socially progressive policies. This formed a major part of his leadership election campaign in March 2023, and he was successfully elected as Leader of the Scottish National Party.[124][125] He supportsScottish republicanism, stating: "I believe we should be citizens first, not subjects." He attended thecoronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla atWestminster Abbey in London on 6 May 2023.[126]
As a member of the SNP, a pro-Scottish independence party, Yousaf voted "Yes" in the2014 independence referendum.[127] He has supported the idea for holding a second referendum, often informally described as "indyref2".[128] Yousaf has raised concerns over using the2024 United Kingdom general election as ade facto referendum as it would not allow 16 and 17-year-olds to vote.[129] He also believes another referendum should only be held if there is clear public support, stating "It isn't good enough to have polls that put support for independence at 50 per cent or 51%."[130][131]
In 2020, Yousaf expressed support for increasing theracial diversity among top government positions in Scotland. He stated "for 99% of the meetings I go to, I'm the only non-White person in the room... Every chair of every public body is White. That is not good enough."[132] Yousaf said in 2023 that he was "firmly committed to equality for everyone" and has vocally supportedsame-sex marriage and gender reforms fortransgender persons.[133] In 2014, he was absent for the final vote of theMarriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act 2014 due to a ministerial engagement, although he voted in favour of the bill in earlier stages.[134] He also voted in favour of the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill.[135] Additionally, Yousaf has vowed to secure the rights of theLGBT community in a written constitution if Scotland gains independence.[136]
Yousaf is a strong advocate of LGBT rights. On the topic of marriage equality and gay sex he commented: "I believe that people's marriage, if they are gay, and they are married, that their marriage is no more inferior, or worth less, than my marriage as a heterosexual individual. So no, I don't subscribe to that view [that gay sex is a sin]." Amid controversy over Kate Forbes' religious views, Yousaf, a practising Muslim, said that he does not "legislate on the basis of [his] faith".Yousaf's belief that gay sex is not a sin (contradicting Islamic law and teachings) caused controversy in the Muslim community, leading to prominent Muslim figures like Mohammad Hijab andHamza Tzortzis excommunicating him fromIslam given Yousaf effectively deemed something impermissible in Islam as permissible.[137][138][139][140] On 24 June 2023, at an event at theCaird Hall in Dundee, Yousaf restated the SNP's intention of using the next general election as ade facto referendum to demandScottish independence.[141] In October 2023, he announced that this would take the form of interpreting the SNP winning a majority of UK parliamentary seats in Scotland as a vote for independence.[142]
| Party | Candidate | Constituency | Regional | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | ±% | Votes | % | ±% | |||
| SNP | Humza Yousaf[b] | 18,163 | 53.7 |  1.1 | 16,600 | 49.1 | 0.4 | |
| Labour | Zubir Ahmed | 11,058 | 32.7 |  1.1 | 8,899 | 26.3 | 0.5 | |
| Conservative | Sandesh Gulhane[c] | 1,849 | 5.5 | 4.0 | 3,832 | 11.3 | 2.2 | |
| Scottish Green | Nadia Kanyange | 1,651 | 4.9 | New | 1,975 | 5.8 | 0.9 | |
| Alba | 659 | 1.9 | New | |||||
| Liberal Democrats | James Speirs | 522 | 1.5 | 0.6 | 455 | 1.3 |  0.0 | |
| All for Unity | 318 | 0.9 | New | |||||
| Scottish Family | 240 | 0.7 | New | |||||
| Independent Green Voice | 180 | 0.5 | New | |||||
| Abolish the Scottish Parliament | 105 | 0.3 | New | |||||
| UKIP | Daryl Gardner | 185 | 0.5 | New | 95 | 0.3 | 1.8 | |
| Freedom Alliance (UK) | 76 | 0.2 | New | |||||
| Scottish Libertarian | Alan Findlay | 157 | 0.5 | New | 75 | 0.2 | New | |
| TUSC | 62 | 0.2 | New | |||||
| Women's Equality | 58 | 0.2 | 0.4 | |||||
| Communist | 51 | 0.2 | New | |||||
| Reform UK | 50 | 0.1 | New | |||||
| Reclaim | Leo Kearse | 114 | 0.3 | New | 32 | 0.1 | New | |
| No label | Joseph Finnie | 94 | 0.3 | New | ||||
| Independent | Craig Ross | 25 | 0.1 | New | ||||
| SDP | 20 | 0.1 | New | |||||
| Renew | 11 | 0.03 | New | |||||
| Independent | Daniel Donaldson | 10 | 0.03 | New | ||||
| Majority | 7,105 | 21.0 | 2.2 | |||||
| Valid Votes | 33,793 | 33,828 | ||||||
| Invalid Votes | 131 | 87 | ||||||
| Turnout | 33,924 | 54.3 | 8.5 | 33,915 | 54.3 | 8.4 | ||
| SNPhold | Swing | |||||||
Notes
| ||||||||
| Party | Candidate | Constituency | List | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | ±% | Votes | % | ±% | |||
| SNP | Humza Yousaf[a] | 15,316 | 54.8 | 10.1 | 13,902 | 49.5 | 7.4 | |
| Labour and co-operative | Johann Lamont[b][c] | 8,834 | 31.6 | 15.8 | 7,237 | 25.8 | 12.3 | |
| Conservative | Thomas Haddow | 2,653 | 9.5 | 3.8 | 2,545 | 9.1 | 4.9 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Isabel Nelson | 585 | 2.1 | 0.0 | 375 | 1.3 | 0.1 | |
| TUSC | Ian Leech | 555 | 2.0 | New | ||||
| Scottish Green | 1,363 | 4.9 | 2.4 | |||||
| Solidarity | 915 | 3.3 | New | |||||
| UKIP | 582 | 2.1 | 1.6 | |||||
| BUP | 341 | 1.2 | New | |||||
| Animal Welfare | 224 | 0.8 | New | |||||
| Scottish Christian | 212 | 0.8 | 0.0 | |||||
| RISE | 185 | 0.7 | New | |||||
| Women's Equality | 158 | 0.6 | New | |||||
| Independent | Andrew McCullagh | 25 | 0.1 | New | ||||
| Majority | 6,482 | 23.2 | N/A | |||||
| Valid Votes | 27,943 | 28,064 | ||||||
| Invalid Votes | 142 | 69 | ||||||
| Turnout | 28,085 | 45.8 | 6.3 | 28,133 | 45.9 | 6.4 | ||
| SNPgain fromLabour Co-op | Swing | 13.0 | ||||||
Notes
| ||||||||
Yousaf was married to former SNP worker Gail Lythgoe from 2010 to 2016.[147][148] In 2019, he marriedpsychotherapistNadia El-Nakla and has one child and one stepchild.[149] In March 2024, the couple announced that they were expecting another child.[150]
In November 2016, Yousaf was fined £300 and had six penalty points added to his driving licence, after being caught by police driving a friend's car without being insured to drive it. Yousaf accepted full responsibility, saying: "I totally accept the decision. I paid the fine and told my insurers about the points. This was an honest mistake, and the result of my personal circumstances during my separation."[151]
He and his second wife made a complaint of discrimination against aDundee children's nursery that did not offer a place to their daughter in 2021. The complaint was upheld by theCare Inspectorate who found that the nursery "did not promote fairness, equality and respect" in terms of its admission policy.[152][153] The legal action was subsequently terminated by Yousaf and Nadia.[154]
On 9 October 2023, Yousaf announced that his wife's parents were "stuck" in theGaza Strip following theIsrael–Hamas war.[155] On 5 November, they were able to return to Scotland.[156]
On 17 July 2024, Yousaf announced the birth of his daughter, Liyana Jenin Yousaf.[157]
Yousaf was sworn in as a member of thePrivy Council of the United Kingdom on 17 May 2023 atBuckingham Palace.[158] Membership of the privy council is lifelong and members are addressed as "The Right Honourable".[159]
Scottish National Party leader Humza Yousaf quits, triggering a search for a successor and new first minister[...] He calls for a leadership contest to find his replacement as soon as possible, and will remain first minister until then.
{{cite news}}:|last2= has generic name (help){{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
| Scottish Parliament | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of the Scottish Parliament forGlasgow Pollok 2016–present | Incumbent |
| Preceded by | Leader of the Scottish National Party 2023–2024 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded byas Minister for Transport and Islands | Minister for Transport and the Islands 2016–2018 | Succeeded byas Minister for Energy, Connectivity and the Islands |
| Preceded by | Cabinet Secretary for Justice 2018–2021 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded byas Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport | Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care 2021–2023 | Succeeded byas Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care |
| Preceded by | First Minister of Scotland 2023–2024 | Succeeded by |
| Order of precedence in Scotland | ||
| Preceded byasPrime Minister of the United Kingdom | Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland 2023–2024 | Succeeded byasPresiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament |
| ||
| Premiership | .jpg) | |
| Related | ||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
.svg)