By Lucy Ashton
As Humza Yousaf passes the 100 day mark as First Minister, Scottish Labour has branded his time in office “disastrous” for both the SNP and the country.
The first 100 days of his tenure, which passed earlier this week, has been beset by scandal, U-turns and continued decline.
Mere days after Humza Yousaf became First Minister, the SNP was plunged into chaos with the arrest of their former Chief Executive Peter Murrell and a police raid on party headquarters. This criminal investigation subsequently resulted in the high-profile arrests of Nicola Sturgeon and former SNP treasurer Colin Beattie.
In government, Yousaf was forced to abandon or delay key SNP policies, including the collapse of the Deposit Return Scheme, a u-turn on HPMAs, and delays to the National Care Service.
The crisis in Scotland’s NHS, which reached crisis point when Humza Yousaf was Health Secretary, has continued during his time as First Minister, while employment has fallen and the cost of living crisis continued to pile pressure on families.
Jackie Baillie claims Humza Yousaf will be waving goodbye soon to government.
The SNP’s once-famous discipline machine has also fallen apart in this time, with the Scottish Government facing a growing number of rebellions from backbench MSPs such as Fergus Ewing, and Humza Yousaf’s confused and contradictory independence proposals were met with criticism.
Scottish Labour Deputy Leader Jackie Baillie said: “Humza Yousaf’s time as First Minister started with a police raid on his party’s headquarters and somehow went downhill from there.
“He was a failed Transport Minister, a failed Justice Secretary, and the worst Health Secretary since devolution – and he’s not doing any better as First Minister.
“The last 100 days has been disastrous for the SNP but even more so for Scotland, which is stuck with an NHS in chaos and the worst cost of living crisis in decades.
“Humza Yousaf’s only solution to Scotland’s problems is independence, and he can’t even get his position straight on that.
“Scotland deserves better than this incompetent First Minister and his dysfunctional government – and Scottish Labour is ready to deliver the change Scotland needs.”