Humza Yousaf admits ending Greens deal was his mistake

Former first minister Humza Yousaf has mentioned terminating a power-sharing settlement with the Scottish Greens was his mistake.

The transfer led to the ex-SNP chief’s resignation earlier this yr as he confronted motions of no confidence.

Mr Yousaf instructed an LBC occasion on the Edinburgh Festival Fringe he was contemplating whether or not to proceed as an MSP.

He additionally mentioned he couldn’t say with “certainty” that his daughters wouldn’t be attacked due to the color of their pores and skin.

Mr Yousaf resigned as first minister in May as he confronted motions of no confidence in him and his authorities.

He mentioned on the time he had “underestimated” the extent of damage brought on by his choice to finish a power-sharing cope with the Scottish Greens in April.

The breakdown got here after a Green backlash towards the SNP authorities’s choice to row again on local weather targets and gender insurance policies. It left the SNP with a minority administration at Holyrood.

Mr Yousaf mentioned the connection got here below pressure following an interview by Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie wherein he says Mr Harvie refused to simply accept the Cass evaluation into gender providers for kids in England was a scientific doc.

The former first minster mentioned ordinarily “reasonable, supportive” individuals in his social gathering -and not solely the “usual malcontents” – instructed him that Mr Harvie’s feedback had made the Bute House Agreement “very difficult to sustain”.

Mr Yousaf then used an expletive to take full blame for the choice to finish the cope with the Greens, including: “It was my choice.”

He said he had calculated his administration could fend off opposition votes of no confidence with the support of Alba MSP Ash Regan.

He told the Edinburgh event that deal became “impossible” when Alba leader and former first minister Alex Salmond proposed an electoral pact with the SNP.

“There was no way I was going to play a part in rehabilitating Alex Salmond in the political bubble,” he said.

He then mentioned: “I could have done a deal (with Alba) that went against my principles, that would have saved my skin.

“It would have got me the votes I needed but I wasn’t going to do that.”

A spokesperson for the Alba Party said: “There was no reference to an electoral pact within the proposals that might have saved Humza’s job – he is aware of that as a result of he described them as smart on the time.”

Asked about the SNP’s heavy general election defeat to Scottish Labour, Mr Yousaf said he accepted an “element of responsibility”.

He said that he was not dealt “the easiest hand” after taking over from Nicola Sturgeon in March 2023.

“I think anybody who was a past leader of the SNP in recent years has got to reflect very seriously,” he added.

Asked if he would consider running for first minister again, the 39-year-old replied: “No.”

He mentioned he didn’t know if he would stand to be an MSP within the 2026 Holyrood election, telling LBC: “I’ll make that decision probably next year.”

Mr Yousaf, Scotland’s first ethnic minority chief, mentioned earlier this week he had questioned whether or not he and his household have a future in Scotland or the UK on account of Islamophobia.

It got here after violent riots in different components of the UK.

He mentioned: “Scotland has not had race riots and long may that continue but let’s not pretend Scotland doesn’t have racism and Islamophobia.

“In fact, people in Scotland have been charged on numerous occasions and found guilty of racism, death threats, Islamophobia against me.”

Mr Yousaf said he was not planning on leaving Scotland but that he and other Muslim people he had spoken to were considering their futures.

He added: “Could I say that my daughters would be safe as people of colour, as Muslims?

“If the girls choose to wear a hijab in the future could I say that they won’t get attacked because of the colour of their skin, or because of their faith? I can’t say that with any certainty.”

Mr Yousaf also branded Elon Musk “one of the most dangerous men on the planet”.

The billionaire owner has been highly critical of the UK authorities and the way the disorder has been handled.

He has come under fire for promoting a conspiracy theory about the UK building “detainment camps” on the Falkland Islands for rioters.

He later deleted the image from his page. Posted by the co-leader of the far-right Britain First party, the image was faked to look like it had come from the Daily Telegraph website.

Mr Musk has not acknowledged he published then deleted the post. The BBC has approached X for comment.

Mr Yousaf accused the tech entrepreneur of “utilizing his wealth to amplify the far proper”.