Yousaf to say SNP ‘cannot afford leader who pulls us off’ progressive path
Humza Yousaf, Kate Forbes and Ash Regan are in the running to be Scotland’s sixth first minister, with voting in the contest to start on Monday.
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Leadership hopeful Humza Yousaf is to tell SNP members the party “cannot afford to have a leader who pulls us off” a progressive path as voting in the contest to choose the next first minister opens on Monday.
Ballots are being sent out to SNP members to choose their party’s new leader, with Mr Yousaf, Kate Forbes and Ash Regan in the running to be Scotland’s sixth first minister.
Mr Yousaf, who currently serves as Health Secretary in Nicola Sturgeon’s administration, will at an event in Stirling tell party members the Yes movement was built on “inclusivity, equality and respect for everyone” and that the SNP “cannot afford to have a leader who pulls us off that progressive path”.
“I am the only candidate who is ready to stand up to Westminster power grabs and vetoes, and I’m the only candidate that will ensure we maintain our pro-independence majority agreement with the Greens to ensure Holyrood is strong and united in the face of future Tory attacks,” he is expected to tell members later alongside former SNP MSP Bruce Crawford.
“That is why I am asking SNP members to open their ballot today and to make me their first choice for first minister.”
Party members will be asked to rank the three candidates in order of preference, and if no single candidate secures more than 50% of votes on first preferences, the person in third place will be eliminated.
Their second preference votes will then be distributed among the two remaining candidates in order to find the winner.
Mr Yousaf will tell the event on Monday he is best placed to take the party forward.
“Today our hard-working SNP members and activists have the opportunity to elect a party leader and first minister who will champion their values by standing up to Westminster power grabs, advancing the rights of everyone in Scotland and building on a progressive policy agenda to deliver independence for Scotland,” he will tell members.
“As a proudly progressive political party, the SNP has won election after election, delivering for the people of Scotland with free education, free prescriptions, the Scottish Child Payment and protecting our beloved NHS from backdoor attempts at privatisation.
“Inclusivity, equality and respect for everyone were key pillars on which the Yes movement was built in the lead-up to 2014.
“As a party, we cannot afford to have a leader who pulls us off that progressive path that will deliver us the independence for Scotland that we crave.
“It is so important that any SNP leader and first minister stands up to Westminster attacks and attempts to undermine Scotland’s Parliament and its democratic will.
“As a government, the SNP cannot roll over and allow the Tories to trample over our democracy.”
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.