Humza Yousaf says independent Scotland will rejoin the EU
Humza Yousaf reiterated plans for an independent Scotland to rejoin the EU during his closing speech to the SNP conference.
Addressing the P&J Live Arena in Aberdeen this afternoon for the first time as leader, he said: “Brexit can’t be made to work for Scotland.
“It has been an unmitigated disaster.
“With independence, we can escape the failed UK Brexit-based economy and take our place for the very first time as a member state in our own right of the EU.”
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Labour and Lib Dems react to Yousaf’s address
With the SNP having previously frozen council tax for several years after the party first came to power, Labour shadow Scottish Secretary Ian Murray said: “Fresh out of ideas for 2023, Humza Yousaf seems to have reached for the SNP’s 2007 manifesto for inspiration – but after 16 years of broken promises Scots aren’t buying it any more.”
Scottish Liberal Democrat economy spokesperson Willie Rennie insisted it was an “unfunded tax cut” like those from previous Tory prime minister Liz Truss.
Blasting Mr Yousaf’s administration, the Lib Dem MSP said: “This Government is divided, volatile and incompetent just like Liz Truss’s was.”
Scottish Tories respond to Yousaf’s speech
Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross said: “This speech to a slimmed-down nationalist faithful confirms that Humza Yousaf’s number one priority will always be independence above all else.
“Other announcements, such as on the NHS backlog and council tax, aimed at attempting to clean up the SNP’s previous mistakes were all sidelined by Humza Yousaf’s nationalist obsession. It is clear that no other issue will get a look in during the SNP’s campaign at the next year’s general election.
“Humza Yousaf is all too happy to waste more taxpayers’ money on promoting independence despite Scots struggling with a global cost-of-living crisis. It is completely the wrong priority for Scotland at this time.
“Our country cannot afford the nationalists spending five more years talking about their constitutional obsession at every turn, but that is what Humza Yousaf’s speech confirmed they are hellbent on doing.
“In seats from the South of Scotland to the North East, it is only the Scottish Conservatives who can beat the SNP, stop Humza Yousaf obsessing about independence and ensure the focus gets back onto the issues that really matter”
Key points from Humza Yousaf’s conference speech
– Council tax will be frozen in the upcoming Scottish Budget.
– The Scottish Government will issue its first financial bonds on the international market.
– The SNP leader pledged an extra £300 million for the NHS in Scotland over the next three years.
– He set out support for women experiencing domestic abuse in Scotland with those wishing to leave an abusive partner able to receive up to £1,000 as part of a new pilot fund.
– The Scottish Government will invest up to £500 million in the next five years for the offshore wind supply chain in Scotland.
– The First Minister called for an international refugee programme to be set up for those fleeing violence in the Gaza strip.
– He confirmed the first line of the party’s general election manifesto would read: “Vote SNP for Scotland to become an independent country.”
– He insisted that support for independence can be built into a “sustained majority”.
– He thanked his predecessor Nicola Sturgeon.
Yousaf slammed over independence pledge
Pamela Nash, chief executive of Scotland in Union, said: “Humza Yousaf confirmed that the very first words of the SNP manifesto will be about independence.
“That exposes exactly what the SNP is about – the break-up of Britain comes before everything else.
“But people will be furious with the SNP for making such a vote about the constitution when there are so many other more important issues.
“They want their government to focus on the cost-of-living crisis, properly-funded public services and better job opportunities.
“Instead, the nationalists will contest the next election in the only way they know how – by pushing their grievance agenda and driving a wedge between Scotland and the rest of the UK. It’s time for people’s priorities, not the SNP’s.”
In his conference address, the SNP leader said “page one, line one” of the party’s manifesto will be on independence.
James Cleverly pulls rug from under Humza Yousaf with threat to withdraw Foreign Office support
In a letter seen by the Daily Telegraph, the Foreign Secretary threatened to take away support for SNP ministers on trips abroad in a bitter row over Humza Yousaf blocking UK diplomats from attending talks with the Icelandic prime minister in New York last month.
Should SNP ministers continue, James Cleverly said he would instruct his officials “to withdraw from facilitating meetings between Scottish government ministers and ministers of foreign governments”.
Yousaf has ‘no doubt’ SNP can convince ‘sustained majority’ of Scots to back independence
In his closing speech, he told SNP delegates: “It is not process arguments that will achieve our goal. Around half of our fellow Scots already support independence.
“I have no doubt that we can turn that half into a sustained majority.
“And we will do so when we concentrate not on the how – but on the why.
“At the next election, page one, line one of our manifesto will say ‘vote SNP for Scotland to become an independent country’.”
SNP leader takes aim at Keir Starmer
Scotland’s First Minister told the SNP conference he has “no idea what Keir Starmer stands for”.
Humza Yousaf said: “The closer he gets to Downing Street, the further he retreats from his principles.
Council tax freeze
Council tax in Scotland will be frozen next year, Humza Yousaf has announced in his closing speech.
He said: “That’s the SNP delivering for people when they need it the most.”
Yousaf admits by-election loss was ‘tough night’
Addressing the SNP’s loss of the Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election last week, Humza Yousaf said it was a “tough night” but the party could not spend time feeling sorry for itself.
He said: “We roll up our sleeves and we work harder than ever before for the people of Scotland.
“That is how I am going to lead this party forward.
“It starts by standing by our values. Sticking up for what we believe in. And standing up for Scotland.”
Yousaf makes gushing Sturgeon tribute
In his speech, the SNP leader said: “Nicola Sturgeon transformed Scotland. She reformed Scotland’s public services. She improved the life chances of thousands of Scotland’s young people.
“And we will never forget that in the toughest of times our country faced, Nicola was the calmest of voices and the coolest of heads.
“So for all of this and more, we say thank you Nicola.”
His comments prompted rapturous applause from the party faithful in the audience.
Humza Yousaf gives keynote speech
The SNP leader is now on stage at the P&J Live Arena as he delivers the closing speech at the party’s conference.
Scottish Tories attack SNP over ‘independence obsession’
Humza Yousaf’s arch-rivals have shared an image mocking him on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.
They said: “Only the Scottish Tories are focusing on the issues that really matter to people across Scotland right now.”
‘Don’t be ridiculous’: Nicola Sturgeon responds to claims she is now the Liz Truss of the SNP
Nicola Sturgeon denied she was overshadowing her successor when confronted by the media on her arrival at the SNP conference yesterday.
She branded comparisons with Liz Truss, who was largely seen as stealing the show from Rishi Sunak at at the Tory Party conference in Manchester, as “ridiculous”.
Humza Yousaf’s SNP blamed for ‘unacceptable delays’ in NHS waiting times
The said in a post on X: “These unacceptable delays are a result of the overwhelming failure of Humza Yousaf’s NHS Recovery plan and years of dire workforce planning by successive SNP health secretaries.”
SNP MP accused of ‘serious mud slinging’ in Lisa Cameron bullying row
After Lisa Cameron MP defected to the Tories in a dramatic move last week, one of her former SNP colleagues took to the airwaves on BBC Scotland.
But her appearance did not impress Scottish Tory MSP Rachael Hamilton, who took to social media platform X to rage about “Lisa’s experience of toxic abuse”.
Victims of abuse to be offered up to £1,000 to escape their relationships, Humza Yousaf announces
A new pilot scheme will offer the victims of domestic abuse up to £1,000 to escape their relationships, the First Minister has announced.
Ahead of his first SNP conference speech as leader, Humza Yousaf announced the Fund to Leave – which will send £500,000 to Women’s Aid organisations in five council areas, with the formal announcement due when he speaks on Tuesday.
Humza Yousaf hoping to ‘reset leadership’ with speech
Humza Yousaf’s keynote conference speech this afternoon is being billed as him hoping to “reset” his waning leadership of the SNP and to unite the rabidly waring party ranks.
Mr Yousaf’s speech will be held in a small side room of the party’s conference venue as activists have thus far failed to fill seats in the main hall.
Politico has said a failure by the First Minister to fill all the seats at today’s speech would be “embarrassing” on his big day.
SNP claims it can re-join the EU if it becomes an independent nation
The party’s official X account shared a post claiming an independent Scotland can “rejoin the EU, benefit everyone with a well-being economy and offer compassion to those fleeing war and terror.”
SNP deputy leader accused of having a ‘brass neck’ over new ‘rebuttal unit’ to counter ‘fake news’
The Scottish Tory Party’s Deputy Chairwoman has mocked her opposite SNP number in a scathing attack on X, formerly Twitter.
Sharing a Scottish Express article, Pam Gosal MSP said: “SNP to launch ‘rebuttal unit’ to counter ‘fake news’. This from the party who have spent years spinning bogus claims about independence. Brass neck, much!?”
SNP issued warning over splurging tax-payer cash on independence push
Scottish Tory party chairman Craig Hoy has claimed Scots would be “appalled” if they thought their hard-earned cash was being used to further the SNP’s independence agenda.
Mr Hoy said: “The SNP’s conference has made it crystal clear that independence will be front and centre of the party’s next General Election campaign. Every other issue will be pushed aside in order for the nationalists to continue their relentless pursuit of another referendum.
“Their latest campaign is set to start in a matter of weeks. During a cost-of-living crisis, it would be appalling if any public money was spent on this latest push to break up the United Kingdom.
“As we rapidly head towards winter, there are far more urgent issues which demand the SNP’s attention, than their constitutional obsession. The BMA Chairman has already warned of the worst-ever winter in Scotland’s NHS, which is a terrifying thought for patients and frontline staff.
“Our emergency services are warning that people might die if the SNP continue to impose cuts on them. Those are the issues that are the real priorities facing Scotland. Money should be spent on supporting people struggling with the cost-of-living crisis and our public services which are overwhelmed on the SNP’s watch. Scotland simply cannot afford the SNP wasting taxpayers’ money yet again on their independence obsession.”
First look at Humza Yousaf’s speech
The First Minister will today insist that post-Covid ministers are “working hard to reduce NHS waiting times” with a “significant reduction in the longest waits” having been seen since targets for this were announced last July.
But he will add: “I am announcing today that in each of the next three years, we will invest an extra £100million to cut waiting lists.
“This additional funding will enable us to maximise capacity, build greater resilience in the system and deliver year-on-year reductions in the number of patients who have waited too long for treatment.
“That will reduce waiting lists by an estimated 100,000 patients by 2026.”
On the issue of independence, he will say that already “around half” of Scots support the country leaving the UK.
The SNP leader will add: “I have no doubt that we can turn that half into a sustained majority.”
Five things to watch in Humza Yousaf’s big speech
The SNP leader will give his speech to the conference this afternoon.
Here are five key areas he is likely to address.
1. Stepping out of Nicola Sturgeon’s shadow
Yesterday, Ms Sturgeon was accused of “upstaging” her successor with a rockstar appearance at the event.
Mr Yousaf was quick to insist he was “delighted” at her arrival – but he will be keen to make a distinction between their leaderships during his address today.
2. Personal anguish
The First Minister’s wife has opened up about her heartache as her family is currently trapped in Gaza.
Mr Yousaf is likely to address his own feelings on the Israel-Hamas conflict at some length today.
3. Labour poll surge
Mr Yousaf will be keen to quell fears of a Labour resurgence in Scotland after the party’s humiliating defeat in the Rutherglen and Hamilton-West by-election earlier this month.
The Scottish First Minister must now take the fight to the party it now sees as a genuine threat by employing the SNP playbook of attacking Labour from the left and exposing its U-turns.
4. The fight for Scottish independence
The SNP’s central aim – to achieve secession from the UK – looks further out of reach than it has for at least a decade.
Extracts from Mr Yousaf’s speech show he will argue the SNP must concentrate not on the “how” of gaining independence, but the “why” in what will be seen as a rallying cry to his party.
5. The party’s civil war
The bitter civil war and internal rows engulfing the party are also likely to be on the agenda.
Mr Yousaf will be forced to address Lisa Cameron MP’s recent defection to the Tory Party, citing a “toxic culture” in the SNP based around “a cult of personality” and come up with a way of unifying his fractured party.
What’s on today?
The morning session from 10.30am includes resolutions on improved care and support for disabled people; support for carers; safe access zones for asylum seekers in Home Office accommodation; withdrawal from the energy charter treaty; trauma and mental health services; A9 and A96 dualling.
And the afternoon session from 2pm includes resolutions on addressing endometriosis; additional support needs in early education; history of South Asian soldiers; topical and emergency resolutions and an address by SNP leader and First Minister Humza Yousaf.
Humza Yousaf to pledge an extra £300million for NHS in Scotland over the next three years
Humza Yousaf is expected to pledge an extra £300million for the NHS in Scotland over the next three years in a desperate bid to win over his party faithful today.
The embattled SNP leader will use his keynote conference speech to say the cash could reduce waiting lists by 100,000 by 2026.
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