As a young boy, Humza Yousaf did not think high political office was for ‘people who looked like me’. By serving as First Minister, he has changed that impression forever and defied the racist bigots who told him to ‘go home’
Columnists
By Scotsman Comment
Published 8th May 2024,
In his speech to Conservative party conference in October, Rishi Sunak moved some in the audience to tears when he said: “I am proud to be the first British Asian Prime Minister, but you know what… I’m even prouder that it’s just not a big deal”. Yesterday, as Humza Yousaf formally resigned as First Minister, he spoke about how “as a young Muslim boy, born and raised in Scotland, I could never have dreamt that one day I would have the privilege of leading my country. People who looked like me were not in positions of political influence, let alone leading governments when I was younger."
Both politicians have struggled with turbulent political times. Both were dealt bad hands by their predecessors, who were arguably more responsible for their parties’ slide down the polls, and failed to reverse that direction of travel. But both will also go down in history as trailblazers, people who managed to achieve high office despite racist attitudes that were once common and which still persist today.
Yousaf told the Scottish Parliament that he was just six when he was first told to “go home” – and it was still an “almost daily” occurrence. This, he said, was the racial slur that hurt him the most “simply because I have no other home than this one, I never will, I never have”.
By Scotsman Comment
Published 8th May 2024,
In his speech to Conservative party conference in October, Rishi Sunak moved some in the audience to tears when he said: “I am proud to be the first British Asian Prime Minister, but you know what… I’m even prouder that it’s just not a big deal”. Yesterday, as Humza Yousaf formally resigned as First Minister, he spoke about how “as a young Muslim boy, born and raised in Scotland, I could never have dreamt that one day I would have the privilege of leading my country. People who looked like me were not in positions of political influence, let alone leading governments when I was younger."
Both politicians have struggled with turbulent political times. Both were dealt bad hands by their predecessors, who were arguably more responsible for their parties’ slide down the polls, and failed to reverse that direction of travel. But both will also go down in history as trailblazers, people who managed to achieve high office despite racist attitudes that were once common and which still persist today.
Yousaf told the Scottish Parliament that he was just six when he was first told to “go home” – and it was still an “almost daily” occurrence. This, he said, was the racial slur that hurt him the most “simply because I have no other home than this one, I never will, I never have”.
Humza Yousaf signs his official letter of resignation as First Minister to King Charles at the Scottish Parliament (Picture: Jane Barlow/pool/Getty Images)
“My heart will forever belong to Scotland,” he added. “So to have the opportunity to defy the far right, to defy the racist bigots who told me to go home, to be in a position to serve my home, to contribute to public life in my home, and to have the opportunity to lead my home – that has been the most tremendous honour that I didn’t think was reserved for people who looked like me.”
Sunak and Yousaf have helped to change attitudes; Labour's Anas Sarwar, who could be John Swinney's successor in Bute House, is doing so too. Race is no longer a “big deal” for many voters, as it once undoubtedly was. However, until the glorious day it is no deal at all, there is still work to do.
“My heart will forever belong to Scotland,” he added. “So to have the opportunity to defy the far right, to defy the racist bigots who told me to go home, to be in a position to serve my home, to contribute to public life in my home, and to have the opportunity to lead my home – that has been the most tremendous honour that I didn’t think was reserved for people who looked like me.”
Sunak and Yousaf have helped to change attitudes; Labour's Anas Sarwar, who could be John Swinney's successor in Bute House, is doing so too. Race is no longer a “big deal” for many voters, as it once undoubtedly was. However, until the glorious day it is no deal at all, there is still work to do.
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