Humza Yousaf: SNP leader officially appointed Scotland’s First Minister after vote in Holyrood

Humza Yousaf has been officially confirmed as Scotland’s new First Minister after MSPs voted in his favour in Parliament on Tuesday (28 March).

The former Health Secretary was on Monday (27 March) elected to replace Nicola Sturgeon as leader of the SNP, beating closest rival Kate Forbes by 52% of votes to 48%, after Ash Regan was eliminated from the bitterly contested race. It was widely accepted that Yousaf would go on to become First Minister, but his appointment was not official until a vote had taken place in Holyrood.

Yousaf received 71 of 128 votes, making him the first person from a minority ethnic background to lead Scotland’s highest office - as well as the first Muslim to lead a western democratic nation. “You try telling that to 16-year-old Humza Yousaf, who, post 9/11 was questioned constantly about his loyalty to this country,” the 37-year-old remarked.

Setting out what kind of First Minister he will be in his victory speech, Yousaf promised to “always fight” for people’s rights and pledged to make Scotland a “fairer and wealthier nation”. He told Holyrood that protecting Scots from the effects of the cost of living crisis, including tackling child poverty, will be a priority of his government.

He also mentioned the importance of the climate crisis and reaching net zero, saying he’ll soon appoint a Cabinet that will be delivering all of this “and more”. Then, Yousaf pledged to “argue tirelessly for independence”, insisting that he will deliver on priorities more effectively when Scotland is independent from the rest of the UK.

The SNP’s new leader later confirmed that Shona Robison, currently the social justice secretary, will be Scotland’s deputy First Minister.

One of the MSPs who voted to elect Yousaf as First Minister was his predecessor Nicola Sturgeon, who confirmed her support for her former colleague on Twitter. She announced that she had sent her formal letter of resignation to King Charles III and departed Bute House after eight years in office, writing that her next stop was “Scottish Parliament to vote proudly for Humza Yousaf as Scotland’s sixth First Minister.”

In a statement released earlier on Tuesday (28 March), Sturgeon also remarked: “Being First Minister of the country I love has been the privilege of a lifetime. As the first woman to hold this office, I am proud to demit it knowing that no girl in our country is in any doubt that a woman can hold the highest office in the land.

“My congratulations go to Humza Yousaf who, subject to parliamentary process and appointment by His Majesty the King, will become the first person from a minority ethnic background to lead our country as its First Minister – and in doing so will reiterate the powerful message that it is a role that any young person in Scotland can aspire to.”

Yousaf’s SNP leadership race opponents - Kate Forbes and Ash Regan - also stated their support for their party’s new leader, despite their acrimonious clashes during fiery hustings debates.

Forbes wrote on Twitter: “My heartiest congratulations to @HumzaYousaf, our new SNP leader and Scotland’s next First Minister. I’m delighted for him, wish him all the best, and will back him as he leads our party and our nation to better days.”

Regan added: “Congratulations to new SNP Leader, Humza Yousaf. It was a lively contest, I wish him well, and I back him as he leads our party - and I would encourage everyone to get behind Team SNP.”

However, not everyone offered this level of support - with some opposition parties already calling for an election. Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, while putting himself forward for First Minister, argued that Yousaf is “not enough” for Scotland.

He said that voting for Yousaf and the SNP was “an acceptance of mediocrity,” arguing that “Scotland needs more than a continuity candidate.” Yesterday, after Yousaf was confirmed as leader of the SNP, Sarwar commented: “Humza Yousaf has inherited the SNP’s woeful record, but he has not inherited Nicola Sturgeon’s mandate. We need an election.”

Meanwhile, Douglas Ross, leader of the Scottish Conservatives, also argued that a change is needed as he accused the SNP of being “consumed by the debate on independence” rather than by the issues that “matter” to the country. Looking ahead to Yousaf’s time in office, Ross urged the new First Minister to “abandon his divisive plans to push independence relentlessly as the self-styled ‘first activist’.”

Yousaf has already given some insight into his plans as First Minister, telling journalists that he will battle Westminster’s recent use of Section 35 of the Scotland Act to block Holyrood’s Gender Recognition Reform Act. He said: “They do not have any right to use that excessive justified power given that the majority of Hollywood backed the bill. My first principle, my starting principle, is to challenge that Section 35 order.”

Elsewhere, he has spoken more generally about the type of leader he will be, telling voters: “I will be a First Minister for all of Scotland. I will work every minute of every day to earn and re-earn your respect and your trust. I will do that by treating you, the people of Scotland, with respect. There will be no empty promises or easy soundbites when the issues in front of us are difficult and complex, because government is not easy and I won’t pretend it is.”

He has also discussed with pride the “progress” Scotland has made in electing someone from an ethnic minority as leader of the country. “We should all take pride in the fact that your colour of skin or indeed your faith is not a barrier to leading the country that we all call home,” he said.