The Guardian Weekly

Continuity candidate Yousaf elected SNP leader

SCOTLAND

Humza Yousaf was elected the first minority ethnic leader of the Scottish National party after a tumultuous campaign that exposed deep divisions in the party that dominated Scottish politics under his predecessor, Nicola Sturgeon. Turnout in the leadership election was 70%. For first preferences in the single transferable vote system, Yousaf took 24,336 (48%), Kate Forbes took 20,559 (40%) and Ash Regan 5,599 (11%) of the vote. When second preferences were distributed, Yousaf took 52% and Forbes took 48%.

Yousaf, the health secretary and most experienced candidate after previously overseeing justice and transport portfolios, beat his centre-right rival, Kate Forbes, after a leadership contest prompted by Sturgeon’s shock resignation last month that was framed as an existential battle over the future direction of the SNP.

Yousaf, who had the support of most SNP MSPs and MPs, had promised to continue the centreleft, socially inclusive agenda that defined the Sturgeon era. But during the campaign he also said he would lead “as my own man” and distanced himself from key policies of his predecessor, including the plan to hold the next general election as a de facto referendum, and promised a more open style of government.

The announcement on Monday came after a contest that included the resignation of the party’s chief executive and Sturgeon’s husband, Peter Murrell, after revelations that the media had been fed false information about membership figures.

Global Report

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2023-03-31T07:00:00.0000000Z

2023-03-31T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://theguardianweekly.pressreader.com/article/281767043482279

Guardian/Observer