Opposition parties ripped into the new First Minister’s record in government as he was elected thanks to ‘a backroom deal with the Greens to keep his nationalist government in power.’
By Bill Heaney
The SNP were accused of “fiddling while Rome burns” as they and the Scottish Greens voted to elect Humza Yousaf as the next First Minister of Scotland.
Opposition parties pointed out his litany of failures during his time serving in the Scottish Government, including as the incumbent health secretary.
The Democrat reported previously how cancer cases in the UK had increased by 15 per cent in a year, and are now higher than pre-pandemic levels.
The data also showed the overall risk of developing cancer was 30 per cent higher in the most deprived parts of the country than it was in the least deprived areas.
The SNP will tomorrow elect another failed SNP Health Minister, Shona Robison, to be Mr Yousaf’s deputy.
She is best known in West Dunbartonshire for having promised to assist a GP whose practice at Dumbarton Health Centre had been illegally closed by the council con-joined Health and Social Care Partnership despite a petition signed by more than 1,000 of his patients to keep him on.
The GP was later completely cleared by an employment tribunal judge of having done nothing wrong and Robison, who promised The Democrat personally at a meeting in Edinburgh that she would right the wrong which had been done to the doctor did nothing to help him or his devastated patients.
It was only after the tribunal judgment at which our editor gave evidence for the GP, who had to work for a time as a locum, was able to take up employment with another practice at Dumbarton Health Centre, although most of his patients were transferred in the interim to the Levenside practice.
In the Scottish Parliament, Tory leader Douglas Ross pointed out the new First Minister’s failings in Health, just as Kate Forbes had done during the leadership election campaign.
He said: “The SNP have been fiddling while Rome burns. They have abdicated responsibility for governing our country in favour of again attempting to reboot their tired campaign for separation. And Humza Yousaf was at the forefront of this debate. He said that every election should be about independence.
“At a time when our country needs national leadership, we yet again have another nationalist leader. One even more divisive than the last. Humza Yousaf cannot bring Scotland together. He will not focus on the big challenges facing our economy, our public services and families up and down the country.
“Over the last month he has been running our NHS part-time, while prioritising his own leadership ambitions. In his final day as Scottish Health Secretary figures show that just 63% of patients were seen at A&E within the target time – down from 87% when he was given the job.”
Dumbarton man Patrick Harvie, pictured right, whose Green Party gave their votes to swing the leadership vote in favour of Yousaf, also came in for heavy criticism.
Mr Ross said: “We already know how the votes will go; Humza Yousaf has stitched up a backroom deal with the Greens to keep his nationalist government in power. Sadly because of that Scotland will be the poorer.”
Scottish Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton and Scottish Labour chief Anas Sarwar also put themselves forward, with the former being honest in his speech as he said “The members in this chamber will reject my candidacy today, I understand that, but ours is a vision for that better country.”
Meanwhile, Mr Sarwar said: “I know everyone in this chamber has made up their minds. But I’m more interested in winning the debate in the country than in this chamber.”
Mr Yousaf used his speech to pay a grovelling tribute to his predecessor Nicola Sturgeon as he described how he had “big shoes to fill” in replacing her as First Minister.
He added: ““I will stand up unequivocally for this parliament and against any attempts to undermine devolution. I will place no limits on the ambitions that we have collectively for ourselves, for our country, or for the world that we live in.”
Mr Yousaf won the vote as he received votes from his party and the Scottish Greens, with the rest of the voting going along political party lines.
Speaking after the result, Scotland Secretary Alister Jack urged the new First Minister to work “constructively” with the UK Government instead of being divisive.
He said: “My congratulations go to Humza Yousaf on being elected as the new First Minister of Scotland. The UK Government wants to work constructively with him on the issues that matter to people in Scotland.
“I was pleased that during his acceptance speech Mr Yousaf made clear he also wants to work together. That is what people in Scotland, rightly, expect.
“There is a huge amount to be done – continuing to tackle the cost of living, growing Scotland’s economy, tackling NHS waiting lists, ensuring our energy security and improving transport links.
“I hope that Mr Yousaf will govern for the whole of Scotland. In particular I hope he will put his obsession with independence aside, and concentrate on working with the UK Government to make life better for people in Scotland.”
Top picture: Kate Forbes, Humza Yousaf And Ash Regan, the three SNP leadership candidates.