ON March 29, 2023, a new page was turned in Scotland’s political history, as Humza Yousaf, aged 37, born to Pakistani immigrant parents, was sworn in as the First Minister, becoming the youngest person, the first Scottish Asian, and the first Muslim to serve in office. He took the helm months after Rishi Sunak became the youngest UK prime minister in modern times when he entered 10, Downing Street aged 42. As the first Muslim leader of a government in western Europe, he has attracted attention worldwide. Time magazine featured him on its cover in October, calling him a ‘trailblazer shaping the future.’ Ahead of the confirmatory vote in the Scottish parliament, Yousaf vowed to “continue to ensure that Scotland is a positive, progressive voice on the world stage”. “I will also argue vigorously for independence,” he added afterwards, pledging in the meantime “to make the best possible use of this parliament’s existing powers”. Yousaf is also the youngest leader yet of the Scottish National Party (SNP), and has an onerous task to reinvigorate its flagging campaign for independence. Since his predecessor Nicola Sturgeon’s shock resignation in February last year, the party has been plagued by an ongoing police investigation into its finances and internal divisions.
Yousaf, who promised to be “the generation that delivers independence for Scotland,” is betting on electoral wins to seek a mandate for a referendum. “Let me be clear, if the SNP does win [next general] election, then the people will have spoken,” he told an SNP conference in June last year. “We will seek negotiations with the UK government on how we give democratic effect to Scotland becoming an independent nation.” In his victory speech after being elected as the SNP leader, he paid tribute to his paternal grandparents who came to Scotland from Pakistan in the 1960s barely speaking English. They would not have imagined “in their wildest dreams” that their future grandson would become the leader of their adopted homeland, he said, and as his wife and mother brushed away tears, added: “We should all take pride in the fact that today we have sent a clear message: that your colour of skin or indeed your faith is not a barrier to leading the country that we all call home.” Yousaf’s cabinet includes five members under the age of 40 and, for the first time, a majority of women.
“I have made clear my belief Scotland’s government should look as much as possible like the people we represent,” Yousaf said. Yousaf’s Pakistani-born father, Muzaffar Yousaf, forged a successful career in Glasgow as an accountant. His mother, Shaaista Bhutta, was born into a south Asian family in Kenya. Yousaf attended an exclusive private school in Glasgow, two years behind Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar. He studied politics at Glasgow University, and worked in a call centre before becoming an aide to Bashir Ahmad, the first Muslim elected to the Scottish Parliament, and after Ahmad’s death in 2009, to Sturgeon’s predecessor as SNP leader and first minister, Alex Salmond. Yousaf says he was toughened after facing racist abuse growing up in Glasgow, especially after the 9/11 attacks in the US. “I’ve definitely had tough times,” he recalled, reflecting on his time in politics. “I have thought to myself, ‘goodness, is there more that I can take personally’ because I also come under a tremendous amount of abuse online and, unfortunately, sometimes face to face.” Hailed by his supporters as a polished communicator who can unite the party, Yousaf embarked upon a “summer tour of independence” across Scotland last year, in an apparent bid to boost SNP morale, which has also benefitted him to come out of the shadow of Sturgeon, who has lorded over the Scottish politics for nearly a decade. Yousaf was first elected to the Scottish parliament in 2011, taking his oath in English and Urdu, and a year later, he was appointed minister for external affairs and international development at the age of 27. It made him the first person of colour and first Muslim member of the Scottish government, and also the youngest minister ever appointed to the government. Since then, he has held a number of ministerial positions, and joined cabinet in June 2018 justice secretary. He was appointed health and social care secretary in May 2021. He is married to Nadia El-Nakla, who is of Palestinian descent. Her parents became trapped in Gaza following Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel, and only managed to leave and enter Egypt through the Rafah crossing after four weeks. “They are, of course, delighted that they are here but they are heartbroken that they had to leave family behind in Gaza,” he told BBC Scotland. He told reporters that his father-in-law had been forced to say numerous painful goodbyes when he left the territory. “He was really broken by the fact that he had to say goodbye to his mother, to his son, to their grandchildren, as well - the youngest of which is only three months old,” Yousaf said. He has repeatedly called for an immediate ceasefire and urged the UK government to suspend arms sales to Israel. “Given some of the atrocious scenes that we have seen that are undoubtedly breaches of humanitarian law ... what possible justification can there be to provide arms to an army and to a government that has been responsible for such flagrant breaches of humanitarian law,” he has said. Yousaf and Nadia have a daughter Amal, 4, and he is also stepfather to Nadia’s 14-year-old daughter, Maya. And, they help him ease the pressure of being first minister. “If you’re at a soft play with a four year-old, you’ve not got much time to think about anything else other than trying to keep an eye on them and they’re telling you to go this way and that way on the inflatables,” he has said. “So actually, being with your children is a great distraction.”
