Humza Yousaf: Labour doesn't need Scottish voters to win UK general election, says First Minister

First Minister Humza Yousaf says Scottish voters do not need to vote Labour to force a change in government in Westminster, as Sir Keir Starmer is set to be the next Prime Minister with or without Scotland.

Humza Yousaf has told Scottish voters they do not need to vote Labour to force a change of Westminster government, as Keir Starmer “does not need Scotland to win”.

The First Minister has also invited Sir Keir Starmer to Bute House to put “political differences” aside to work together following the general election.

In a letter to the Labour leader, Humza Yousaf said differing political views should not “prevent us being able to work together”.

First Minister Humza Yousaf (Picture: Peter Summers/Getty Images)

He wrote: “I hope you will accept this invitation to meet and that we can establish a working relationship in the interests of the people we represent.”

Making an appearance on the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme, Mr Yousaf said it is inevitable that Labour will win the next UK general election.

“If you can show me a single poll that is suggesting this is going to be a marginal election, I would love to see it,” the First Minister said.

“It is undoubtedly the case that Keir Starmer doesn’t need Scotland to win, he’s going to be the next Prime Minister of the UK, we all know that.

Laura Kuenssberg was joined by Grant Shapps, Yvette Cooper and Humza Yousaf on Sunday (Photo: BBC/October Films/Stuart Powell)

“What I’m saying to voters in Scotland is, vote for what you believe in. If you believe in a party that will always stand up for Scotland, if you believe in our values, if they are your values, such as scrapping tuition fees, scrapping prescription charges, generous offers of child care - if these are your values then help us to protect them.

“When it comes to Keir Starmer being the next Prime Minister of the UK, which I think he absolutely will be, I should say I’m very willing to work with an incoming Labour government.

“I think there’s plenty we could work on. There will be disagreements, constitution perhaps being the obvious one, but I do think there are plenty of areas we could work on.”

Previously, Mr Yousaf said the SNP’s conditions of working with Labour would be Sir Keir paving the way for a future Scottish independence referendum.

In his letter, published on Sunday, the First Minister made clear independence is still a priority.

“My Government is clear that Scotland’s future is as an independent country in the European Union, and that there is a democratic mandate for a referendum on independence which should be respected,” he said.

It was put to Mr Yousaf on the programme that independence is unlikely to be offered by Sir Keir. Asked whether he accepts independence is unlikely to happen anytime soon, he said: “I don’t accept that.”

Meanwhile, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has said he does not believe the independence debate will end if his party wins the election.

In an appeal to SNP voters, he told BBC Radio Scotland’s The Sunday Show: “I think there’s still a raging debate in the country around the constitution, but that is not what this general election is going to be about.

“I’ve been really clear that I’m not going to turn my back, close my eyes, or shut my ears to any voter in the country, whether they voted Yes or No.”

Responding to the First Minister’s interview with Laura Kuenssberg this morning, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said that ‘change can’t come soon enough’.

“Patients waiting an age for treatment, children lacking support in schools, the businesses messed around and families betrayed by the deletion of pandemic WhatsApps deserve so much better,” Mr Cole-Hamilton said. “People are fed up with this out of touch SNP Government.

“Humza Yousaf once again put his foot in it by boasting about A&Es in crisis and ‘reducing literacy and numeracy’.”

Scottish Conservative party chairman, Craig Hoy, added: “This was another interview where Humza Yousaf confirmed independence will be page one, line one of the SNP manifesto.

“Instead of pursuing their obsession with breaking up the UK, the SNP should focus on the people’s real priorities: growing the economy to help Scotland’s ailing public services.

“The First Minister once again refused to accept that his high-tax regime is preventing that – despite business groups warning repeatedly that the widening tax gap with the rest of the UK is deeply damaging our competitiveness and risks driving away key workers.”