Transport minister found to be driving without any insurance

Holyrood transport minister Humza Yousaf made an “honest mistake” after a routine roadside check found he was driving with no insurance.

The Scottish Government minister said he would not be contesting the charge after he got behind the wheel of a friend’s car when he was not insured to drive other vehicles.

Police Scotland pulled the car over on the A835 near Dingwall at around 7pm on Friday December 2, the Scottish Sun reported.

It is understood he was sharing the driving with a friend on the way to a St Andrew’s Night dinner in Ullapool at the time.

The incident comes at a time when Mr Yousaf is under pressure at Holyrood over the performance on the railways, with ScotRail Abellio not hitting targets for the number of trains that run on time.

The transport minister said a mix-up in the paperwork following the breakdown of his marriage meant he did not have the necessary cover.

Mr Yousaf said: “I believed I was in possession of fully comprehensive insurance, not just for my own car, and as such that I was insured to drive vehicles other than my own.

Mr Yousaf added:” I will accept any penalty imposed and have taken immediate steps to update my insurance cover.

“This was an honest mistake.”

Mistake: transport minister Humza Yousaf.