- Thursday, May 16, 2024
The 39-year-old Pakistani-origin leader assumed office as Scotland’s first Muslim and youngest first minister in March 2023.
By: Shubham Ghosh
HUMZA Yousaf, the Pakistani-origin leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) who helms the devolved government in Scotland, declared his resignation on Monday (29) following a period of political upheaval for the SNP-led government in Scotland.
The 39-year-old Yousaf assumed office as Scotland’s first Muslim and youngest first minister in March last year.
It was just last week that he terminated a power-sharing arrangement with the Scottish Green Party due to escalating policy disparities, thrusting his leadership of a minority government into turmoil.
His former Green Party allies then teamed up with the Opposition Conservatives, Labour and Liberal Democrat parties to back two non-confidence motions – one in Yousaf’s leadership of Scotland and the second regarding the Scottish government as a whole.
Read: Humza Yousaf’s brother-in-law charged with abduction, extortion
“While a route through this week’s motion of no confidence was absolutely possible, I am not willing to trade my values and principles or do deals with whomever simply for retaining power,” said Yousaf.
“Therefore, after spending the weekend reflecting on what is best for my party, for the government and for the country I lead I have concluded that repairing our relationship across the political divide can only be done with someone else at the helm,” he said.
Read: Man, woman plead guilty to racially abusing Humza Yousaf
In his speech delivered at Bute House in Edinburgh, he noted on an emotional note, “I am sad that my time as First Minister is ending, but I am so grateful, I am so blessed, for having the opportunity that are afforded to so few to lead my country and who could ask for a better country to lead than Scotland.”
Yousaf, of Pakistani and Kenyan heritage, paid tribute to the UK’s diversity and also referenced Rishi Sunak as Britain’s first Hindu prime minister in his resignation speech.
He added, “People who looked like me were not in positions of political influence, let alone leading governments, when I was younger. We now live in a UK that has a British Hindu Prime Minister (Sunak), a Muslim Mayor of London (Sadiq Khan), a black Welsh First Minister (Vaughan Gething), and for a little while longer a Scottish Asian First Minister of this country.
“So for those who decry that multiculturalism has failed across the UK, I would suggest that the evidence is quite to the contrary and that is something we should all celebrate.”
Yousaf will remain in his post until a replacement first minister is chosen in the Scottish Parliament, Holyrood. It marks a time of upheaval for the pro-independence SNP even though the outgoing leader claimed Scottish independence “feels frustratingly close”.
“The last few miles of the marathon are always the hardest and we have run this race as a team and will now prepare to pass the baton to a successor who I am absolutely certain will lead us over the finish line,” he said.
The Opposition parties welcomed his resignation, with the Scottish Tories saying Yousaf had averted a “humiliating defeat” at a vote of no confidence later this week and the Labour Party demanding a UK-wide general election soon for a “fresh start” across the country.
(With PTI inputs)
