Imams ‘pushed SNP favourite to skip vote on gay marriage’

Humza Yousaf asked for permission to stay away because of ‘pressure from the mosque’, says EX-MSP

HUMZA YOUSAF, the frontrunner to replace Nicola Sturgeon, ducked the final vote on legalising same-sex marriage in Scotland following pressure from Muslim leaders, the minister in charge of the legislation has alleged.

Alex Neil, the SNP’S former health secretary, said Mr Yousaf arranged a ministerial meeting 19 days in advance as “cover” to avoid having to vote for the Equal Marriage Bill.

Mr Neil said the Muslim MSP approached Alex Salmond, first minister at the time, for permission to “skip” the final vote and quoted him as complaining “he was under so much pressure from the mosque”.

Mr Yousaf has vigorously denied ducking the vote, arguing he had to meet the Pakistan consulate over the case of a Scottish citizen on death row.

Asked explicitly if he deliberately arranged a meeting so he could miss the vote, Mr Yousaf told reporters: “No, that was not done. It was an unavoidable meeting that was arranged ... it’s clearly being raised nine years on in the midst of a leadership campaign to try to destabilise my leadership campaign.”

But senior SNP insiders backed up Mr Neil’s version of events, telling The Daily Telegraph that Mr Yousaf had asked Mr Salmond for permission to be absent after being criticised by some imams for voting for the Bill at its first stage. They said Mr Salmond agreed to excuse Mr Yousaf following talks with Joe Fitzpatrick, who was then the SNP’S parliamentary business minister, as it was an issue of conscience and there was still a clear majority in the Holyrood chamber in favour of the legislation.

The disclosure opened Mr Yousaf up to allegations of double standards as his campaign has fiercely criticised Kate Forbes, his main rival, over her admission she would not have voted for the Bill if she had been an MSP at the time. He has portrayed himself as the “progressive” candidate in the contest while Ms Forbes, a devout Christian, was forced to issue a statement saying she was “burdened and heartsore” about the backlash her views had provoked.

The row intensified as nominations for the leadership closed, with Mr Yousaf, Ms Forbes and Ash Regan meeting the threshold of support. The winner will be announced on March 27.

Launching her campaign, Ms Regan said Scotland will unilaterally declare independence if the SNP wins the majority of votes and seats north of the Border in an election.

Asked what she would do if the Prime Minister refused to enter talks, the Edinburgh Eastern MSP said it had

‘It was agreed he would arrange an appointment to be timed for the day of the debate and the vote’

“nothing to do with the UK Government” and she would declare independence anyway.

She also argued that Peter Murrell, Ms Sturgeon’s husband, should stand down as the SNP’S chief executive as there was a “conflict of interest”. Mr Yousaf, who is the current Health Secretary, voted in favour of the principles of the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Bill at the first stage in 2013, but was the only minister to miss the final stage-three vote in 2014.

Mr Neil, who is supporting Ms Forbes in the contest, told The Herald: “There is no doubt at all that Humza asked for and was given leave of absence from the vote because of ‘pressure from the mosque’.

“He asked if he could be skipped from the vote, and the First Minister gave him permission, and it was agreed he would arrange a ministerial appointment which would be timed for the day of the debate and the vote, so that he would have cover.”