Muslim who wants to lead Scotland says he can inspire independence
▶ Some see Yousaf as front-runner to succeed Sturgeon, but experts caution that contest is hard to predict
In the race to become Scotland’s next leader, in which religion is a minefield, a Muslim politician is looking for victory with a promise to “inspire” a march to independence.
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf, 37, could be voted the head of the ruling Scottish National Party when a six-week contest ends on Monday.
It would make him the first Muslim and ethnic minority First Minister of Scotland.
Some see the socially liberal Mr Yousaf as front-runner to succeed Nicola Sturgeon, but experts caution that the race is hard to predict.
A Glasgow-born son of immigrants from Pakistan and Kenya, Mr Yousaf told The National his victory would show minorities “the top job in the country is not out of their grasp”.
“If the result goes the way I want it to on Monday, I think people of colour and Muslims across Scotland will take something of an inspiration,” he said.
Religion came to the fore after rival Kate Forbes caused a stir with her Christian social conservatism.
It led to Mr Yousaf facing questions about his own faith.
He answers that he is a proud Muslim fasting in the campaign’s final days, but does not “use his faith as the basis of legislation”.
Mr Yousaf’s critics say he has left public health in a sorry state and is the choice of a discredited party machine.
A study published this week found Scotland had 17 of the 20 areas with the lowest life expectancy in the UK. Meanwhile, Peter Murrell, Ms Sturgeon’s husband, resigned as SNP chief executive this month amid a row over an attempt to withhold party membership figures.
Despite calls for a change of tack, Mr Yousaf’s plan is to stick to Ms Sturgeon’s left-wing course, rally SNP troops and show what an independent Scotland could look like.
“We have to get back to inspiring people,” he said in the final debate on Tuesday with his rivals Ms Forbes and Ash Regan.
Hoping to form a pro-independence youth bloc, he promised to govern with the “bold, ambitious and radical values of Scotland’s young people”.
Campaigning in Edinburgh, Mr Yousaf took his youth appeal to a new level in a game of football with nursery children. Under pressure over Scotland’s health problems, he used the visit to pledge free football club membership for children.
Mr Yousaf is not a gaffe-free zone. On another stop, he asked a group of Ukrainian women “where are all the men?” – seen as a clumsy comment when they are stuck at war with Russia.
He has sparred with Ms Forbes, who said in one debate: “When you were transport minister the trains were never on time; when you were justice minister the police were strained to breaking point; and now as health minister we’ve got record high waiting times.”
Tuesday’s debate put them at odds again. Mr Yousaf wants higher taxes on the rich. Ms Forbes is sceptical. He would fight London over its veto of a transgender rights bill. She of the mind to back down. “We are at our best when we are bold, when we are radical,” Mr Yousaf said. He is backed by senior party figures, although their image has been tarnished by the row over declining SNP membership.
One fellow minister, Neil Gray, said Mr Yousaf was the man to “inspire people across our nation to vote for independence”.
Ms Sturgeon’s long-serving number two, John Swinney, is backing Mr Yousaf after opting not to run himself.
Mr Yousaf has “had some very high-profile endorsements from people in the SNP”, said Chris Hopkins from polling company Savanta. It put Mr Yousaf ahead in its only survey of members.
But the mood of SNP elites “isn’t necessarily reflective of where members would go”, said Mr Hopkins. Mr Yousaf, a father of two and motorcycle enthusiast, said he would deal with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak “respectfully, but fairly and robustly”.
When King Charles III is crowned on May 6, Mr Yousaf is the only candidate promising to attend as First Minister.
But if he gets his way and Scotland becomes independent, Mr Yousaf wants the question of ditching the monarchy to be addressed within five years.
In a letter to floating voters, he promised to be the separatist movement’s “First Activist”.
Support for independence has been stuck below 50 per cent since Scotland voted no in 2014.
The SNP argues times have changed but the UK government has signalled it will block another vote unless the demand becomes overwhelming.