Readers' Letters: Time for Humza Yousaf and his B team to leave political pitch

Following a badly handled attempt to extract his government from being progressively dragged down by the Scottish Greens, the First Minister has been forced to resign.

Then First Minister Humza Yousaf and his new cabinet pose for a photograph at St Andrew's House on 8 February 2024 - did it lack a depth of talent? (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

A year ago, when Mr Yousaf stepped up to the top job, there was a suspicion that he was primarily there because he was prepared to follow in his predecessor’s footsteps. The worry was he had been promoted well beyond his capabilities. There was also a concern that after so many other Ministers had for various reasons stepped away from their frontline roles, the SNP was left with its B-team in Government. The experience of the past year suggests those fears were justified.

Mr Yousaf undoubtedly inherited a serious array of challenges. Yet whereas both his predecessors had an uncanny way of turning difficulties to their advantage, or at least finding someone else to blame, he made a habit of making a bad situation worse. While some might have hoped that Mr Yousaf and his leadership team would raise their game to meet the challenges facing them, they have instead demonstrated a woeful lack of focus on Scotland’s real priorities.

The SNP now seeks to assess its options from amongst a narrowing field of B-team hopefuls. Meanwhile, Scotland wonders if whoever they eventually choose will be any less divisive or any more able to bring stability to Scotland’s government. Three SNP First Ministers in a row have now had to step down as their “we know best” attitude has come up against the real-world consequences of preferring political posturing to properly delivering for all of Scotland.

Keith Howell, West Linton, Scottish Borders

Proud record

No one in touch with politics in Scotland will be surprised that the First Minister has resigned. As well as being First Minister Humza Yousaf has served in Government over a long number of years, in a number of ministerial positions.

So, what is the record of the Scottish Government over those years as Humza Yousaf joins the back benches?

Well, in the current cost of living crisis it has been the SNP, under the leadership of Humza Yousaf, that reached out with mitigating measures regarding the morally repugnant bedroom tax which is still with us today, and the cap on social security benefits.

Under Humza Yousaf’s SNP 100,000 children have been taken out of poverty with the Scottish Child Payment, and it is the SNP in government that has introduced the twice yearly Carers Supplement, available nowhere else in the UK. We may also want to recognise there have been no strikes in our NHS here in Scotland.

Also, as we reflect on Humza Yousaf’s time as First Minister, we should recall his humanitarian stand for the world, his call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, something the Conservatives in government and the Labour opposition at Westminster opposed.

Mr Yousaf’s time as First Minister and SNP party leader may be over, but for Scotland, the road to Independence lives on.

Catriona C Clark, Banknock, Falkirk

Experience needed

Humza Yousaf is a prime example of something that any reasonably intelligent person understands; work experience before political representation should be mandatory.

He and many others like him who make laws which govern our lives have no life mandate to do so. Leaving education and immediately entering politics as a career is wrong, politicians should be of a certain maturity due to having carved out a career which clearly attests to a grasp of how life can unfold.

Wisdom is acquired by experience, not through a university degree.

Stan Hogarth, Strathaven, South Lanarkshire

Poisoned chalice

There seems to be a total lack of talent in our politicians, both at Holyrood and Westminster. In a few weeks’ time we will have had three First Ministers in a year, and five Prime Ministers in the last eight years.

The question is, however – who is going to take over what is now a poisoned chalice in both cases. Could we have Kate Forbes – intelligent but lacking in experience, or John Swinney, if he can be bothered?.

At Westminster it seems that the only qualification to be Prime Minister is that you can hold a sword for 90 minutes.

And in both cases there may be a stalking horse broken free of its reins that could cause mayhem.

One thing is certain – nothing will change in the short term, but all parties will have their Plan. Whether the plan can be made to work is a different story.

James Macintyre, Linlithgow, West Lothian

Hear the people

All parties eventually run out of road and I think the current administration in Edinburgh have arrived at their destination.

It would be appropriate for the Greens, Alba and the other parties to back the Labour amendment and a Scottish election be called.

We can then all decide who to choose, whether it’s back to the obsession with independence, deposit return schemes, trans rights, ferries, A9 dualling etc or something more radical such as the economy, jobs and the level of taxation, health and wellbeing, education and social care.

The people need to be heard once again .

Jeff Lewis, Edinburgh

Free Scotland

The UK Internal Market Act, introduced by an authoritarian Tory government at Westminster without any mandate from the people of Scotland, was designed to effectively neuter the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood.

The resignation of Humza Yousaf as First Minister and the possibility of an early change of government bears witness to the success of this devious strategy. Should that government be an anti-independence government then the Tories will also have succeeded in returning control of Scotland to a London-based UK party, regardless of whether Douglas Ross or Anas Sarwar were to become First Minister. This will have been achieved in spite of a vote of almost 75 per cent in favour of devolution, the election of a majority of pro-independence parties at Holyrood (and an overwhelming endorsement of the SNP on a FPTP basis) and around 50 per cent, or more, in favour of self-determination.

Furthermore, with the introduction of Brexit, which was rejected by the Scottish electorate, what will it take to convince the rest of the people of Scotland that “democracy”, as dictated by a London-centric UK Government, is failing in Scotland and this dire predicament will only significantly change if Scots finally take control of their own destiny!

Stan Grodynski, Longniddry, East Lothian

Time for change

It has come as no surprise that Humza Yousaf has resigned as First Minister. Throughout his ministerial career he has been politically naive and erratic, latterly focusing on issues divorced from the realities of everyday life for the majority of Scottish people.

It couldn't continue even though he was the “continuity” successor to Nicola Sturgeon. The ultimate appointment of a new SNP leader may eventually lead to a Holyrood election, which may not be a bad thing given that Scotland needs a new direction and change.

Bob MacDougall, Kippen, Stirlingshire

Election please

Whether or not Humza Yousaf remained in office does not alter the point I would like to make. As part of his latest reset, Mr Yousaf chose Dundee as location and a new affordable housing scheme there as the backdrop. He was effusive and announced the sending of letters to opposition leaders offering cosy meetings over coffee at Bute House to discuss future co-operation with a Yousaf-led minority administration “in Scotland's best interests”. He even sent a “Dear Douglas” letter to the Tory leader, the same party that he wanted to wipe off the face of the electoral map not so long ago.

Presumably to show his new direction of travel, he pledged £80 million of new cash to the affordable housing budget, thus the backdrop. But we have become used to smoke and mirrors with this administration, and this was no different; clearly, his Spad Army had been busy. Yes, there was £80 million of “new” money. But in the last and very recent round of SNP budget cuts they had sliced off double that amount. So in effect we got back around half of what they had cut.

It is past time waiting for changes to this warped thinking and mangled management and PR-controlled events, they really do take us for imbeciles. An election, please, as soon as possible.

Alexander McKay, Edinburgh

Blame Sturgeon

There are multiple reasons Humza Yousaf had to resign, particularly a startling lack of political nous. But the key single reason dates back to Nicola Sturgeon, supported by the otherworldly Greens, setting ludicrously unrealistic climate change targets (75 per cent reduction in emissions by 2030, net zero by 2045), just so they could be seen to be more challenging, more virtue signalling than those set by Westminster.

Under the nationalists, targets haven't been met in eight of the last 12 years. Ms Sturgeon, who long-term perhaps had her eye set on a UN environmental role, was determined to appear righteous and ethical yet was setting up her successors to fail. So Mr Yousaf was forced to face reality, reset climate targets – and the rest is history.

Ms Sturgeon's vanity and the SNP's obsession with playing puerile political games lie at the heart of Mr Yousaf's downfall.

Martin Redfern, Melrose, Roxburghshire

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