Problems pile up – so FM goes on indy rally
HUMZA Yousaf came under fire last night for being ‘out of touch and reckless’ after renewing his demands for independence – while doing little to address the problems of the majority of Scots.
The First Minister attended an independence rally in Edinburgh yesterday, the first since he took over from Nicola Sturgeon. And although his leadership has been dogged by accusations that his party is failing to tackle a wide range of issues including the cost of living crisis, standards in schools, the ailing health service and an overloaded justice system, he chose to address pro-independence supporters.
Mr Yousaf, accompanied by his wife and daughter, declared that leaving the UK would allow Scotland to rejoin Europe – and that separating from England would boost business links with the continent. However, opposition parties have criticised him for not addressing the more pressing issues in the country and instead insisting on making independence the priority.
Last night Scottish Conservative constitution spokesman Donald Cameron said: ‘Humza Yousaf needs to realise he is the First Minister for Scotland, not the SNP, and his appearance at the independence rally shows his top priority is to push for another divisive referendum.
‘People across Scotland will be infuriated that the First Minister attended this march and believes separating our country is more important than helping households through the global cost of living crisis and fixing our broken NHS and crumbling schools.
‘Humza Yousaf continues to be completely out of touch with public opinion and people are rightly seeing through his reckless behaviour.’
‘Humza Yousaf is out of touch with public opinion’
Deputy leader of Scottish Labour Dame Jackie Baillie also criticised Mr Yousaf for indulging those who already want independence.
She said: ‘Humza Yousaf prefers to spend his time preaching to the converted because he has nothing to offer the rest of the country.
‘Meanwhile, as Scots struggle with the worst cost of living crisis in decades and an NHS in turmoil, the First Minister is missing in action.’
Crowds marched down the Royal Mile to the Scottish parliament to hear speeches by Mr Yousaf and Greens co-leader Lorna Slater.
Mr Yousaf said: ‘This unequal union has caused so much suffering and so much harm.
‘Let me tell you, the people of this country are not suffering from a cost of living crisis, they are suffering from a cost of union crisis.’ He described it as an honour to be addressing everyone as the First Minister of ‘the greatest country on God’s green earth’.
Mr Yousaf added: ‘There’s so much resource, don’t dare tell me that we are too wee or too poor to be an independent nation.’
Taking aim at the UK Government, he said: ‘Independence allows us to put right the historic wrong of Brexit. By taking Scotland’s future into our own hands, we can get back on the right track.
‘We can rejoin the world’s largest trading bloc – one that is seven times larger than the UK by population.’
A UK Government spokesman last night said: ‘People in Scotland want both their governments to be concentrating on the issues that matter most to them, like growing our economy, halving inflation and improving public services.
‘This is not the time to be talking about distracting constitutional change.’