Humza Yousaf leadership: Holyrood opposition test out attack lines on new First Minister

Opposition politicians used the election of Humza Yousaf as First Minister of Scotland to test out their attack lines on the new SNP leader following a vote in the Scottish Parliament.

Mr Yousaf received an overall majority of votes on Tuesday for the job of First Minister, with 71 MSPs backing him, including Scottish Green representatives.

However, he soon came under attack for what his critics labelled his party’s “independence obsession” and his own Government’s track record.

Douglas Ross, the leader of the Scottish Conservatives, said Mr Yousaf was attempting to “appeal to his divided party” rather than the wider Scottish public after the new SNP leader said on Monday he would request another section 30 order from Westminster to hold an independence referendum.

Opposition leaders in Holyrood, Alex Cole-Hamilton of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, Anas Sarwar of Scottish Labour, and Douglas Ross of the Scottish Conservatives.

Mr Ross said: “The record player has changed, but the tune remains the same. History will look back and judge this to be a massive, missed opportunity.

“While we, on this side of the chamber, will always look to co-operate with the Scottish Government when it exclusively focuses on tackling the big challenges that Scotland faces, the tone that Humza Yousaf has set for his government – in choosing to double down on his party’s independence obsession – suggests that those moments will be few and far between.”

Mr Ross also pointed to the fact he was the only party leader to represent a non-Edinburgh or Glasgow constituency, stating his party must "champion” rural Scotland. The Scottish Tory leader also said all Mr Yousaf offered was a “poor imitation of his predecessor” Nicola Sturgeon.

Anas Sarwar, the Scottish Labour leader, said Scotland was crying out for change and that a different nationalist First Minister would not go far enough in this regard.

Taking aim at the record of the SNP in government, he called on Mr Yousaf to ditch the focus on independence and instead tackle the “twin crises” of the cost-of-living crisis and the “NHS crisis created by this SNP Government”.

He said: “I urge him now to leave the inward looking and divisive approach behind and work on behalf of every person in our country, regardless of their constitutional position. The new First Minister has been left to pick up a catalogue of failure and the by his predecessors and the challenge ahead is immense.

"After 15 years of SNP rule, not a single institution in Scotland is stronger and I hope this moment ushers in some better governance for the people of Scotland. But if I’m honest, I don’t hold out that hope.

"It is clear that the SNP does not have the answers that Scotland needs. The First Minister now leads a chaotic and divided party, out of touch and out of ideas.

Alex Cole-Hamilton, leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, echoed the criticisms made by finance secretary Kate Forbes during the SNP leadership contest, stating “we don’t have to settle for continuity”.

He added: “Make no mistake. There is more water behind this Government than lies ahead of it. Change is coming and Liberal Democrats will be part of what’s next. If we want it to, that change could start with this vote this afternoon.

"That other bank could actually be in sight. We just have to reach for it. Now, for a better country."

Want to hear more from The Scotsman's politics team? Check out the latest episode of our political podcast, The Steamie.

It's available wherever you get your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.