Pakistani-origin Humza Yousaf declared leader of Scottish National Party

March 27, 2023 21:27

Humza Yousaf/Reuters

Pakistani-origin Member of the Scottish Parliament Humza Yousaf on Monday won the Scottish National Party leadership contest and is set to be named as Scotland's new First Minister, replacing Nicola Sturgeon.

The 37-year-old MSP served as the health and social care minister in Sturgeon's Cabinet until she announced her resignation last month, triggering a leadership contest within the governing party for the devolved region.

Yousaf defeated his closest rival finance minister Kate Forbes, who spent some of her formative years in India, where her parents worked as Christian missionaries, and now faces a vote at the Scottish Parliament of Holyrood on Tuesday before being formally confirmed as the region's First Minister.

"It is hard for me to find the words to describe just how honoured I am to be entrusted by our membership of the SNP to be the party's next leader and to be on the cusp of being our country's next First Minister," Yousaf said in his victory speech in the Scottish capital of Edinburgh.

Yousaf said he felt "like the luckiest man in the world" as he thanked his wife and children for their support.

"I feel like the luckiest man in the world to be standing here as leader of the SNP, a party I joined almost 20 years ago and that I love so dearly," he said.

Yousaf said he would serve "in the interests of all party members" and "lead Scotland in the interests of all of our citizens, whatever your political allegiance". -- PTI

You can read more about Kate Forbes on Rediff.com

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