Adam pays tribute to ‘exemplary’ outgoing First Minister Humza Yousaf
A LOCAL MSP has paid tribute to Humza Yousaf, who resigned as First Minister and SNP party leader on Monday, April 29.
Mr Yousaf’s position rapidly became untenable after he announced the termination of the Bute House Agreement, which had brought the Scottish Greens into government after the 2021 Scottish Parliament elections. The angry aftermath saw the Scottish Conservatives lodge a motion of no confidence in him as First Minister.
He remains in post as the leader of both the Scottish Government and the SNP until a successor is elected.
Banffshire and Buchan Coast SNP MSP Karen Adam described him as an “exemplary First Minister”.
|She said: “I am sorry to see Humza Yousaf resign as First Minister of Scotland.
“For more than a year as the leader of the Scottish National Party and our Scottish Government, Humza has been an exemplary First Minister.
Humza’s achievements throughout 12 years in government speak for themselves and I think it shows the measure of his integrity to refuse to trade his values and principles—or do deals with whomever—simply for retaining power. In my work with him, this is the man I have always known and who I am proud to call my friend.
“To you, Humza Yousaf, thank you for always supporting me in my work on issues close to my heart, particularly on deafness. Kindness and compassion have always underpinned your politics and it is a quality that I truly admire in you.
“As the first Scots Asian First Minister of Scotland, you have shown that, in the Scotland we are trying to build together, that the colour of your skin should be no limitation to what you can achieve.
“Thank you, First Minister, for your steadfast and unyielding support for equalities and human rights. You will leave a lasting legacy you can be proud of and I look forward to working with you on the backbenches.”
Ms Adam went on to voice her support for ending the agreement with the Greens, which now means the SNP govern as a minority administration.
She continued: “Initially, I was a strong advocate for the agreement, and I note the achievements that have come from it.
“However, I agree that it has run its course.
“It was becoming increasingly clear that the agreement was hindering our ability to tackle pressing local issues and I am confident that the needs of Banffshire and Buchan Coast will be better addressed moving forward.
“We are currently facing a severe cost-of-living crisis, worsened by policies from Westminster. Poverty is a devastating reality for many, which undermines lives and shatters hopes. Addressing this must be our foremost priority. The challenges of rural and coastal living further complicate this issue.
“Our goal should be to alleviate burdens for our citizens, not increase them.
“Unsurprisingly, some of the opposition's response to our decision to withdraw from the agreement exposed their true colours. Within hours, the Tories initiated a vote of no confidence, quickly followed by Labour, highlighting their opportunistic approach. Instead of uniting to combat poverty and support our citizens, they appear more interested in engaging in power struggles that waste parliamentary time and taxpayer money.
“Our parliament was designed to rise above party lines and work for the common good. As MSPs, we must focus on delivering hope and effective support to those in need.
“Moving forward, I hope that the Scottish Parliament will embody its original intent by fostering constructive cross-party collaboration among MSPs on crucial issues.”
