Yousaf won 52% of the final votes cast, running on a platform dedicated to delivering Scottish independence, combating the cost-of-living crisis…reports Asian Lite News
Pakistani-origin Humza Yousaf has won the Scottish National Party leadership contest and is set to become Scotland’s First Minister replacing Nicola Sturgeon. The 37-year-old son of Asian immigrants is set to become the first person of colour to serve as Scotland’s first minister.
The Scot of Pakistani heritage, a Sturgeon loyalist, defeated Kate Forbes, the country’s finance minister and Ash Regan, who quit the government in opposition to proposed changes to gender recognition, as per the Al Jazeera report. “I will be a First Minister for all of Scotland. I will work every minute of every day to earn and to re-earn your respect and your trust,” Yousaf said in his acceptance speech.
Yousaf won 52% of the final votes cast, running on a platform dedicated to delivering Scottish independence, combating the cost-of-living crisis.
The development comes less than six months after Rishi Sunak became the first British Prime Minister of Indian origin. Yousaf will lead the Scottish National Party (SNP) as a successor to Nicola Sturgeon, who stepped down last month after eight years as leader of the party.
In a victory speech in Edinburgh, Humza Yousaf said, “From the Punjab to our parliament, this is a journey for our generations.” Yousaf said he has a “passion” for Scottish independence and is in favour of “using our devolved powers to the absolute maximum effect to tackle the challenges of today.”
Humza Yousaf said, “I will ensure our drive for independence is in fifth gear.” He stressed, “The people of Scotland need independence now more than ever,”
Taking to his official Twitter handle, he stated, “From Punjab to Pollok, people from across the world & here at home have been offering me their good wishes, grateful for all the kind msgs I have received. Can I thank Kate & Ash in particular for their kind words of support. We’re united as a team who will deliver for Scotland.”
He further stated, “Elected as leader of @theSNP is the biggest honour of my life. If Parliament votes for me as FM tomorrow, it is my solemn commitment to serve all the people of Scotland. For now, after a long day I have promised a v sleepy 3yr old I will be telling her tonight’s bed time story.”
Of all the three candidates, Yousaf (37) was the only enthusiast for Sturgeon’s approach and earned by far the most endorsements from SNP parliamentarians and ministers, notably including Sturgeon’s deputy and closest political friend, John Swinney, himself a former leader of the party.
In many ways, Yousaf represents the “new Scotland” that Sturgeon and her predecessor, Alex Salmond, have sought to project through the SNP and he is seen as the role model of an inclusive, multiracial country and an inclusive nationalism.
Speaking after being confirmed as the new leader at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh, Yousaf said it would be “the greatest honour and privilege of my life” to be the next first minister.
And he called on the party to unite behind him after what has often been a fractious leadership contest.
He said independence would be won “on the doorsteps” and pledged to kickstart a grassroots campaign, adding: “We will be the generation to win independence for Scotland”.
Yousaf added: “In the SNP we are a family. Over the last five weeks we may have been competitors or supporters of different candidates. We are no longer team Humza, or team Ash, or team Kate, we are one team.”
Yousaf also said his grandparents had arrived in Scotland from Pakistan in the 1960s barely able to speak a word of English, and would not have believed “in their wildest dreams” that their grandson would one day become first minister of Scotland.
Sturgeon, who was Scotland’s longest-serving first minister, announced last month she was stepping down after more than eight years in the job.
She said Yousaf will be an “outstanding” leader as she congratulated him on his appointment, adding: “I could not be prouder to have him succeed me”.
It was the first time the SNP has had a leadership contest since 2004, with Ms Sturgeon being unopposed when she replaced Alex Salmond in 2014.
Yousaf becomes only its fifth leader since 1979, and will face the task of uniting a party that has dominated Scottish politics in recent years but which has looked deeply divided in the wake of Ms Sturgeon’s resignation.
Sturgeon’s surprise announcement that she was resigning came just three weeks after she insisted that she had “plenty in the tank” and still believed she would lead Scotland to independence.
Her husband, Peter Murrell, was forced to resign midway through the campaign after it emerged the party’s membership stood at 72,000 rather than the 104,000 it had consistently claimed to have.
The party still faces a police probe over the use of £600,000 which was raised by activists who were told it would be ringfenced for a second independence referendum, and questions over why Murrell gave a SNP a loan of more than £100,000 in June 2021.
The SNP and Mr Murrell both deny they have done anything wrong, with Ms Sturgeon saying she “can’t recall” when she first learned of her husband’s six-figure loan.