Humza Yousaf

Humza Yousaf has been elected the new head of the Scottish National Party by party members. In a speech following the announcement, he said he felt like the ...

He continued that building support for the cause would need to be done "on the doorstep." If approved on Tuesday, he will be the country's sixth leader since the establishment of the Scottish parliament in 1999. "Scotland is a European nation. In November, the U.K.'s highest court government, which opposes the move. Sturgeon generated both praise and significant controversy over recent [decision](https://news.sky.com/story/uk-government-blocks-scotlands-gender-reform-bill-in-constitutional-first-12787916) to block the gender reforms, but that he would be [guided](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-65036907) by legal advice in doing so. [reforms](https://news.sky.com/story/why-is-scotlands-gender-recognition-reform-bill-controversial-12788818) to gender legislation in Scotland, and leaves behind a [mixed legacy](https://news.sky.com/story/nicola-sturgeons-time-as-scotlands-first-minister-in-10-charts-12811812) on domestic issues. The SNP supports the campaign for Scotland to gain independence from the United Kingdom and holds a majority of 64 of the 129 seats in the Scottish parliament, giving it control over - In a speech following the announcement, he said he felt like the "luckiest man in the world" and would lead in the interest of all party members and lead Scotland in the interest of all citizens. - The SNP supports the campaign for Scotland to gain independency from the United Kingdom and holds a majority of 64 of the 129 seats in the Scottish parliament, giving it control over devolved areas that include housing, education, justice, local government and areas of taxation. Humza Yousaf on Monday was elected the new head of the Scottish National Party, promising in a speech to bring the party together, support citizens with the cost-of-living crisis and deliver independence from the United Kingdom.

Scottish health secretary set to become first minister on Wednesday after securing 52% of vote.

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Humza Yousaf faces some enormous challenges as he takes over from Nicola Sturgeon as SNP leader and Scotland's first minister. Being the leader of a divided ...

At the start of the leadership contest Humza Yousaf seemed committed to challenging that position in court. While that is substantially true, it may not be the only factor. I expect that whatever she might be offered, Kate Forbes would want a fair amount of autonomy if she is to continue in government. Then of course there are significant policy issues to be addressed. That's not a prediction. In his acceptance speech, he acknowledged the "bruising" nature of the leadership campaign and called for divisions to be healed quickly.

Humza Yousaf, the first Muslim leader of a major UK political party, faces an uphill battle to revive Scotland's drive for independence following the long ...

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The 37-year-old son of South Asian immigrants is set to become the first person of color to serve as Scotland's first minister.

He says he wants to build a “settled, sustained” majority for independence. The SNP wants a new vote, but the central government in London has refused to authorize one, and the U.K. Scottish voters backed remaining in the U.K. The smaller party had warned it might quit the coalition if the SNP elected a leader that doesn’t share its progressive views — meaning a victory by Forbes or Regan could have splintered the government. Yousaf has signaled he will act cautiously. A formidable leader who led the SNP to a dominant position in Scottish politics, Sturgeon failed in her aim of leading Scotland out of the United Kingdom, and divided the party with a contentious transgender rights law.

New leader needs to convince Scotland that he can take the SNP in a fresh direction.

Yousaf’s allies suggest he has been underestimated but admit it is up to him to demonstrate his talents. It will involve countering his rival Kate Forbes’s attack that he was incompetent in the three policy briefs he held. He initially said he would take legal action, but then suggested he would only proceed if the advice suggested he could win. Yet his opponents suggest that if there was any real hope of another independence referendum, Sturgeon would still be in post. “He’s got to show he’s prepared to do that,” one said of Yousaf. Downing Street has already made it clear that Sunak’s response to Yousaf will be no different.

Newly appointed leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP), Humza Yousaf speaks at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh on March 27, 2023. Andy Buchanan/AFP/Getty ...

“We will be the generation that delivers independence for Scotland,” he said in a victory speech. It remains etched into the memories of many who experienced it, and their descendents. Britain’s Home Secretary Suella Braverman also has Indian roots, while London mayor Sadiq Khan was born to a working-class Pakistani immigrant family. In 2014, Scotland voted against independence by 55%. The hardship reached a breaking point when his grandmother was attacked with an axe, he said. His mother was born in Nairobi, Kenya, also to a family from Punjabi descent. But 75 years since the end of the British Raj, many commentators have remarked at how history has come full circle. [interview](https://www.holyrood.com/inside-politics/view,interview-humza-yousaf-on-tackling-hate-headon_9401.htm) with Scotland’s Holyrood newspaper, Yousaf explained in detail how his mother’s family faced racial discrimination in the East African city for being seen as taking away jobs from the local population. Yousaf joined the SNP while he was a student at the University of Glasgow and rose through the ranks of the party, becoming a member of parliament in 2011 – the first Muslim and non-White cabinet minister to serve in the Scottish Government. Noor Ahmed, from the Citizen’s Archive of Pakistan, a non-profit organization dedicated to cultural and historic preservation, described the journey Yousaf has taken as a “Pakistani story that is moving and aspirational, and will be lauded locally.” On Tuesday, the Scottish Parliament will vote to elect the country’s sixth first minister, a position Yousaf is expected to claim as the head of the party with the most lawmakers. “It was time to get away and again, it made sense because there was a British call for people from the Commonwealth to come and take on industrial jobs,” Yousaf said.

For the first time in its history, Scotland elected its first Muslim leader, Humza Yousaf, who won the Scottish National Party leadership contest.

He was the president of the Univeristy of Glasgow Muslim Students Association. The SNP members chose Yousaf over finance minister Forbes by a margin of 52 to 48 per cent after the third candidate Ash Regan was eliminated. Humza Haroon Yousaf was born on April 7, 1985, to Punjabi immigrants in Glasgow.

EDINBURGH: Scotland's devolved lawmakers are set to confirm Humza Yousaf as the country's new first minister on Tuesday (Mar 28), after he narrowly won the ...

Advertisement They would not have imagined "in their wildest dreams" that their future grandson would become the leader of their adopted homeland, he said. Yousaf took his oath in English and Urdu when he was first elected to the Scottish parliament in 2011, before progressing to become the first Muslim to serve in the devolved government's Cabinet. Promising to be a leader "for all of Scotland", he pledged to "kick-start" a civic movement that would "ensure our drive for independence is in fifth gear". "We should all take pride in the fact that today we have sent a clear message that your colour of skin, or your faith, is not a barrier to leading the country we all call home," Yousaf said after winning the SNP leadership race. The 37-year-old is the first Muslim leader of a major United Kingdom political party and will be the youngest first minister since devolution created the Scottish parliament in 1999.

He has pledged to be a "first minister for all of Scotland" after being chosen by party members to replace Nicola Sturgeon. Mr Yousaf, who had been serving as ...

Humza Yousaf has indicated he would like to continue that support, and indeed make it more of a priority for the Scottish government. Or does more of the focus need to be on poverty and disadvantage itself? None of these are simple, single issues to be filed away. An appeal for extra funding was met instead with the threat of 10% cuts. There's the clamour, notably from retailers, to reform business rates. Humza Yousaf is well aware of the mammoth task required to fix the problems across health and social care. And there is a question mark over economic strategy. But to deliver that will have to involve unpopular decisions about what the healthcare system can and cannot afford. But worries have been expressed that it is sometimes proving harder for other young people - who are not necessarily actively advantaged - to get places on certain courses. Can the government properly reset its strained relationship with teachers after the recent strike? It wanted to be judged by its progress raising attainment and helping children and young people from disadvantaged areas. Inevitably, the pandemic has thrown up new problems which are still real issues.

The 37-year-old was elected Tuesday by lawmakers as the first Muslim leader of not just Scotland—but any Western democracy.

[according to](https://twitter.com/sundersays/status/1640340872662327296?s=20) Sunder Katwala, the director of the British Future think tank. That his victory comes so soon after the election of Britain’s Prime Minister [Rishi Sunak](https://time.com/6224248/rishi-sunak-britain-new-prime-minister/) last year and Ireland’s Taoiseach [Leo Varadkar](https://time.com/4810472/leo-varadkar-republic-of-ireland/) returning to power in December 2022 means that, for the first time in history, the British, Scottish, and Irish leaders are all of South Asian origin. The most immediate electoral test for Yousaf will be the next U.K. [the three candidates](https://time.com/6265023/scotland-snp-first-minister-candidates-2023/), which included the Scottish finance secretary Kate Forbes and former junior minister Ash Regan, Yousaf was widely seen as the continuity candidate and the favorite of the SNP leadership (save for Sturgeon, who declined to endorse a successor). Such an outcome would be a major boon for the Scottish Labour and Conservative parties, both of which have struggled to best the SNP in recent elections. “As immigrants of this country who knew barely a word of English, they could not have imagined in their wildest dreams that their grandson would one day be on the cusp of being the next First Minister of Scotland,” Yousaf said of his grandparents at Edinburgh’s Murrayfield Stadium on Monday.

BIRMINGHAM, England. The members of the Scottish Parliament have elected Scottish National Party's (SNP) leader Humza Yousaf as the new first minister.

Our youngest ever first minister, our first Muslim leader, and the first minority ethnic leader of a devolved government in the UK," she said. [Anadolu Agency website contains only a portion of the news stories offered to subscribers in the AA News Broadcasting System (HAS), and in summarized form. Yousaf's political rival, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, said regardless of politics, it is important to reflect on the diverse political landscape of Scottish politics. I can hear my three-year-old speaking to me, and waving to me from the chamber," Yousaf said. “This is a proud day for me, for my family. The 37-year-old received a chamber majority with 71 votes.

The 37-year-old succeeds Nicola Sturgeon, who formally tendered her resignation to the king on Tuesday morning after announcing her intention to stand down last ...

I am proud of the work we have done alongside others to stand against hatred and bigotry, and my promise is that I will continue to stand alongside you in that fight for all of us.” Jack added: “I hope that Mr Yousaf will govern for the whole of Scotland. The Scottish Labour leader welcomed Yousaf to his position as the first first minister from a minority ethnic background, saying: “It is something our grandparents would never, ever have imagined when they arrived in this country and made Scotland their home.” Speaking ahead of the vote, Yousaf referred to the fact he and Sarwar were of Pakistani Muslim heritage. The fact that no one bats an eyelid at this tells me we are making progress in our nation for which we should all be very, very proud.” The four Lib Dem MSPs backed Cole-Hamilton.

EDINBURGH: Scotland's parliament on Tuesday (Mar 28) confirmed Humza Yousaf will replace Nicola Sturgeon as first minister, the devolved nation's youngest ...

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Elected to lead the pro-independence Scottish National Party, the 37-year-old politician with Pakistani roots will have to navigate his party and government ...

Yousaf was born and raised in Glasgow in a working-class family and attended local schools before earning a degree in politics from the University of Glasgow. Many have lauded him for his trailblazing role as the first person of colour and Muslim to hold the top position. However, others have questioned his qualifications and experience, and some have criticised his support for Scottish independence. The case was later Yousaf’s political career has been marked by a commitment to social justice and equality. The number was as high as 58 percent in 2020. Yousaf runs against Kate Forbes and Ash Regan — two influential members of the Scottish party. Before the election, Yousaf was targeted by his opponents for being too local, focused on identity politics and not sufficient on the country’s policy issues. But a recent opinion poll conducted in March “I will be a First Minister for all of Scotland. His historic election has been seen as a sign of progress and a testament to the diversity and inclusivity of Scottish society. After earning a degree from the University of Glasgow for politics, Yousaf worked as a researcher for the SNP and was later elected as a member of the Scottish Parliament in 2011.

The UK is now the only democracy where the children of formerly colonised people are running the country that colonised their parents' and grandparents' ...

They were part of a generation of immigrants who were able to come to the UK and make a better life for themselves. Class is the true divide in British politics, whatever colour rosette a candidate wears. Sunak the son of a doctor and a pharmacist. It remains to be seen whether their ethnicity becomes a factor in the public debate around their politics. This reminds us that the ethnic minority political identity is not uniform, although for years parties on the left took the minority vote for granted. It is important to note that neither Yousaf or Sunak have yet faced the real stress test. [first minister of Scotland](https://theconversation.com/humza-yousaf-becomes-scotlands-first-minister-a-decade-of-polls-suggest-hell-struggle-to-deliver-independence-just-like-nicola-sturgeon-202666) is a historic moment for the UK. His political awakening had taken place a decade earlier in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks in the United States. Indeed, it is rare to hear him described as a “Muslim minister” or “British Asian MSP”. Though Yousaf has stated he is a practising Muslim, he is also clear that he does not believe that legislators should be led by faith in their decision-making. This first wave of postcolonial migrants often worked in the great British industries, in factories and in mills, settling in large town and cities. The moment is monumental.

All three opposition leaders stood against him but knew they had no prospect of being successful. Mr Yousaf, who succeeds Nicola Sturgeon, is the country's ...

There was some broad-brush policy towards the end - a commitment to ease cost of living pressures and boost the NHS. "I will work every hour of every day to harness the potential of Scotland and every single person. He leaned heavily on his family, who were packed into the VIP gallery. Humza Yousaf's speech was really an introduction to himself as first minister. But he went on to claim that Mr Yousaf "seems to be doing his best to offer a poor imitation of his predecessor" having decided on his first day to "renew Nicola Sturgeon's constitutional conflict with the UK government" by calling on it to grant formal consent for an independence referendum. I will stand up unequivocally for this parliament and against any attempts to undermine devolution.

The ceremony, at the Court of Session in Edinburgh, will see the 37-year-old make his statutory declarations after which he will be granted his official ...

As Keeper of the Scottish Seal, Mr Yousaf will have the authority to make decisions on behalf of the crown, which effectively means the First Minister can lead the country with the support of the Scottish Parliament. On Wednesday at the Court of Session the Lord President, Lord Carloway, will administer the oath of office before another declaration to Mr Yousaf as Keeper of the Scottish Seal. The ceremony, at the Court of Session in Edinburgh, will see the 37-year-old make his statutory declarations after which he will be granted his official title of First Minister and Keeper of the Scottish Seal.

The new first minister starts to shape his government but Kate Forbes turns down a move to rural affairs.

Mr Yousaf has confirmed that he intends to appoint a "minister for independence", something he had promised during the hustings. Humza Yousaf is the first member of an ethnic minority to lead the Scottish government and, at 37, he will be the country's youngest first minister. She later tweeted that Mr Yousaf had her full support and she had "full confidence that he will appoint a talented cabinet and ministerial team".