You Won’t Believe What Humza Yousaf Is Up Against – Fighting to Survive the Sturgeon Era

Hello from Edinburgh. The last time I had the privilege of replacing Stephen, it turned out to be so exciting that the newsletter was sent out twice that day (the first was unfortunately timedas you may recall.) And Scottish politics did not become more predictable in the period immediately following the shock announcement of Nicola Sturgeon’s resignation as Scottish First Minister.

More than two months after the arrest of the former chief executive of the Scottish National Party (who has been released pending further investigation), the police investigation into SNP finances remains “live”. I will therefore refrain from peering into my crystal ball and trying to predict how long the relative calm that has reigned over the past few weeks will last.

Tomorrow, my colleague Miranda Green, Associate Opinion Editor, will be next in line to cover Stephen, who is back on Monday.

Yousaf is not so calm 10 weeks

Humza Yousaf, 10 weeks after taking office as Sturgeon’s successor, would find it amusing to hear that not having his colleagues arrested is now what qualifies calm in Scottish politics. This is a sign of how quickly the terrain has changed.

On Monday, the Prime Minister attended an event organized by the local lobby group, the Scottish Council for Development and Industry, where he made a point of talking about improving relations and cooperation with business.

Much like an “anti-poverty” summit he addressed last month, this is the type of setting he particularly likes; he can shrug off the political noise and talk about his three ‘defining missions’ – reducing child poverty, improving public services and making Scotland more prosperous.

Unfortunately for Yousaf, a reporter’s very first question indicated how out of control he was, forcing him to address the latest spat with the British government. That is, the fight against the deposit system planned by Holyrood and the critical obstacle put in its way by Westminster’s insistence on excluding glass.

The British government argued that this is necessary to ensure The Scottish recycling scheme is compatible with others planned for the rest of the UK and reduces the risk of trade barriers for glass in different parts of Britain.

Yousaf told delegates he was annoyed and upset that Scotland’s recycling initiative – due to go live in March 2024 – had sparked another clash with London. That may have surprised opponents of the SNP government, who accuse Yousaf and his ministers of needlessly battling with London to push their independence agenda.

That probably hasn’t been the case in recent months, as sources of disagreement with London, such as Scotland’s reform attempts to make it easier for trans people to get legal gender recognition, have been problems that the Scottish government has not necessarily had. public opinion on his side. Surveys have shown that Westminster’s decision to block this legislation, a decision which Yousaf is challenging in court, enjoys wide public support in Scotland, including a significant minority of SNP supporters.

While Yousaf and Lorna Slater, the circular economy minister, would like to focus on Westminster’s role in the controversy, the deposit scheme has also pitted the government against some big players in the retail, drinks sectors. and the hotel industry.

This week I wrote about another controversy that could be an unwanted distraction for Yousaf. His government plan to test non-jury rape trials as a means of tackling the low conviction rate sparked a backlash from the legal establishment, again an influential section of Scottish society. This is another dispute that Yousaf can do without as he seeks to change the conversation and focus on governance and delivering results.

First activist

The seeds of Sturgeon’s eventual departure date back to the SNP’s announcement in December that it would hold a special conference in March this year to discuss its independence strategy, after the Supreme Court ruled it had no no legal authority to hold a referendum without the London Accord.

It was a clear sign that his preferred option to use the upcoming UK general election as a ‘de facto’ referendum had come up against fierce internal opposition which has weakened his grip on the party. The event was canceled after his resignation. Later in June, party members will travel to Dundee for a replacement conference where they will try to find a way to secure a legally binding referendum. Wisely, Yousaf has yet to declare his preferred option.

During his campaign for the leadership of the SNP, Yousaf promised he would be the party’s “first activist” to advocate for independence to voters. With no referendum in sight for the foreseeable future, the conference may well provide ammunition to opponents who see it as a waste of time and further proof that the SNP is out of touch with people’s “real priorities”.

That could soon be put to the electoral test after Westminster MPs yesterday voted for a 30-day suspension of former SNP MP Margaret Ferrier for breaking Covid-19 rules. It could lead to a by-election if enough voters in his Rutherglen and Hamilton West return a recall petition, which would present an early challenge for Yousaf and an opportunity for Labor to show its resurgence in Scotland is real.

Now try this

One of my favorite things to do in Edinburgh is to visit the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, which is worth a visit for its beautiful sculpture garden alone.

A few Sundays ago I went to see a fascinating exhibition by a Barbadian-Scottish artist Alberta Whittle, create dangerously.

While the paintings, sculptures and films honestly and uncompromisingly deal with the history and lingering effects of colonialism, slavery and racism, Whittle does so in a generous and gentle way. As someone who spent his college years listening to Rage Against the Machine, I was intrigued by the emphasis on self-care and compassion.

As we progress through the summer, there will be no shortage of art to enjoy in Scotland. While Edinburgh’s festivals tend to be in the limelight, the Border Book Festival further south is back next week for its 20th edition.

On Thursday June 15, the FT’s chief economics commentator, Martin Wolf, will be on stage to discuss his definition account of the crisis of democratic capitalism. Sir John Curtice, one of Scotland’s leading pollsters, will also have some interesting things to say about the state of British politics later tonight. FT editor Claer Barrett will also be there this weekend to discuss his book, What they don’t teach you about money.

today’s best stories

• The Starmer Project | The FT’s big read examines how Keir Starmer cemented control by take control of the Labor Party apparatus and marginalizing the left as he tries to take power. This is the second installment in a series focusing on the Labor leader’s plans ahead of elections due next year (here is the first part).

• kill the lights | The UK Cabinet Office will tell central government departments to remove all monitoring equipment made by Chinese companies such as Dahua and Hikvision from sensitive sites in an effort to limit potential intelligence gathering by Beijing.

• CBI critical vote | The CBI Business Lobby won a vote of confidence yesterday following allegations of wrongdoing, but he failed to secure a firm commitment from ministers to immediately re-engage with the organisation.

• “Failure to Comply” | The UK failed in its obligations as part of the post-Brexit withdrawal agreement with the EU leaving several thousand EU citizens awaiting a decision on their stay without the interim documents needed to enforce their basic rights, according to the citizens’ interests watchdog.

• Port to court | One of the UK’s biggest ports has accused Tees Valley’s top Conservative mayor Ben Houchen of waste public money on protracted lawsuits against himand the publication of “inaccurate” statements on the grounds of the case.