Humza Yousaf makes history by becoming the first First Minister of Scotland of an ethnic minority background

Humza Yousaf (Image by Sky News)

Scottish National Party (SNP) politician Humza Yousaf will succeed Nicola Sturgeon as the First Minister of Scotland after beating rivals Kate Forbes and Ash Regan in the leadership contest, over a month after Sturgeon made her shocking resignation speech.

Yousaf will become the first Muslim to lead a major UK political party, the first Asian to become the leader of a devolved nation and the first First Minister of an ethnic minority background on Tuesday.

According to The Guardian, for first preferences in the STV system, Yousaf took 24,336 (48%), Kate Forbes took 20,559 (40%) and Ash Regan 5,599 (11%) of the vote. When second preferences were distributed in the second stage, Yousaf took 26,032 (52%) and Forbes took 23,890 (48%). SNP’s national secretary, Lorna Finn, mentioned that the party’s leadership election turnout was 70%.

As the First Minister, Yousaf has said that he will focus on the following issues:

1. Tackling child poverty with progressive taxes
2. Defending Scotland’s democracy
3. Maintaining pro-independence majority
4. Tackling Cost of Living Crisis
5. Protecting and advancing rights of the people of Scotland
6. Delivering independence

His agenda resonates with Sturgeon centre-left and socially inclusive ideology. However, he has said that he will lead the party and the country “as my own man” and has walked away from his predecessor’s plans to hold the next general election as a de facto referendum. 

Born in Glasgow to immigrant parents of South Asian origin, Yousaf had to face racism as a Muslim kid. However, he performed well academically and went on to study politics at the University of Glasgow, where he became the president of the Glasgow University Muslim Students Association and was a part of the Students’ Representative Council.

From a young age, he had always actively engaged in community work, engaging in fundraisers for charities as well as working for youth organisations. He worked for prominent UK charity Islamic Relief as the volunteer media spokesperson and then got involved in a project with a community radio to provide food packages to homeless people and asylum seekers. 

Yousaf joined the SNP in 2005, two years before the first Scottish Parliament members were elected, which he had strongly campaigned for. He became a member of the Scottish parliament under the first SNP government in Scotland which was established in 2007. 

Yousaf had been serving as the Health Secretary until his appointment as the First Minister and was one of the strongest and most experienced candidates in the contest. He has overseen the justice and transport portfolios in the past. 

After the results of the poll were announced, Yousaf in his speech said, “I was determined then, as I am now, as the 14th leader of this great party, that we will deliver independence for Scotland – together as a team.”

He goes on to acknowledge that “elections by their nature can be bruising” but added that the SNP is “a family”.

He continued, “To those in Scotland who don’t yet share the passion I do for independence, I will aim to earn your trust by continuing to govern well, and earn your respect as First Minister by focussing on the priorities that matter to us all, and in doing so using our devolved powers to absolute maximum effect to tackle the challenges of the day.

“For those of us who do believe in independence, we will only win by making the case on the doorsteps.”

He also thanked everyone who supported him including his wife, daughters, parents, sisters, the campaign team and Nicola Sturgeon, among others. 

Yousaf was supported by far more MSPs and MPs than his two rivals, with Deputy First Minister John Swinney adding that he would “complete our journey to independence”, according to the BBC.