Stephen Daisley Stephen Daisley

Humza Yousaf would be Sturgeon’s continuity candidate

Humza Yousaf (Credit: Getty images)

The Daily Record has reported that Humza Yousaf, currently the Scottish health secretary, will stand for election to succeed Nicola Sturgeon as leader of the SNP and First Minister of Scotland. The 37-year-old Sturgeon ally is said to believe he can unite the party and a source tells the paper he has ‘a lot of support from MPs and MSPs’. 

If Yousaf did replace Sturgeon, it would be a landmark moment for Scotland

Yousaf’s views on the constitution and gender identity are indistinguishable from Sturgeon’s and he can expect to be considered a continuity candidate. He is also a seasoned media performer, though no stranger to the occasional on-camera mishap. The Record says he will stress his ‘experience’ but that could go either way. His tenure as health secretary has not been a happy one, with him overseeing the worst A&E waiting times on record. 

His previous role as justice secretary was similarly contentious, not least for his Hate Crime Act, a sweeping piece of legislation that includes seven-year prison sentences for ‘hate crimes’ committed in the privacy of one’s own home. The Spectator has previously documented other Yousaf gaffes. However, if he did replace Sturgeon, it would be a landmark moment: Yousaf would become the first Muslim and the first Scot of South Asian heritage (or any other non-white heritage) to be elected First Minister of Scotland. 

News of his potential candidacy comes as Joanna Cherry, a leading critic of Sturgeon’s gender self-ID policies, ruled herself out of the running. Any candidate identified as anti-Sturgeon would likely struggle to command the support of the membership, which largely remains loyal to the outgoing leader. However, the perception that a contender offers more of the same, particularly on contentious issues that divide public opinion, may well give members pause. 

Already a subscriber? Log in

Keep reading with a free trial

Subscribe and get your first month of online and app access for free. After that it’s just £1 a week.

There’s no commitment, you can cancel any time.

Or

Unlock more articles

REGISTER

Comments

Don't miss out

Join the conversation with other Spectator readers. Subscribe to leave a comment.

Already a subscriber? Log in