NO VISION, NO PLAN AND NO CREDIBILITY
Labour leader accuses First Minister of spreading misery with £196m cut
Humza Yousaf was yesterday accused of having “no credibility” when it comes to tackling Scotland’s housing crisis.
The First Minister was questioned by Anas Sarwar on his record in office after the SNP leader marked one year in the top job this week.
The Scottish Labour leader blasted Yousaf for overseeing a £196million cut to the housing budget at a time when 10,000 children are stuck living in temporary accommodation.
It comes after four local authorities declared housing emergencies after homelessness levels spiked due to a lack of affordable housing.
But Yousaf insisted his record had seen an estimated “100,000 children lifted out of poverty” over the last year.
Speaking at First Minister’s Questions, Sarwar said: “Our country faces serious challenges that demand serious leadership. But in the past year we had a government led by Humza Yousaf with no vision, no strategy and no plan.
“Not my words, but the words of many in his own party and leading figures across the country.”
Sarwar added: “In the midst of a housing crisis, Shelter Scotland has said the First Minister has no credibility.”
He asked: “Does he agree with the verdict of the experts?” Yousaf fired back: “I tend to believe in the verdict of the Scottish people who, time and time again, have trusted the SNP to be the government of Scotland and have rejected Anas Sarwar and his Labour Party time and time again.”
Alison Watson, director of Shelter Scotland, previously warned: “We deliberately describe what’s happening as a housing emergency. That’s not empty words. What we’re seeing is exceptional.”
She added: “The First Minister has no credibility when it comes to child poverty given his Budget condemns 10,000 children to lives trapped in the homelessness system.”
The Scottish Government published its Housing Bill this week to offer firmer protections to tenants and usher in the prospect of rent controls in some areas.
But campaigners warned it did not go far enough to address underlying issues such as lack of affordable housing.
We face challenges and need serious leadership anas sarwar on housing emergency