Humza Yousaf admits political downfall was his own fault

Humza Yousaf has admitted that his humiliating political downfall was his own fault, concluding: “It’s on me.”

In his first interview since announcing on Monday that he was quitting, the First Minister said ending his power-sharing agreement with the Scottish Greens was the right move.

He disclosed that many SNP MSPs were “upset” by Patrick Harvie, one of the two Green ministers in his government, rubbishing the Cass review into gender identity services.

But he admitted botching the way he ended the coalition deal, titled the Bute House Agreement, which infuriated the Greens so much that they decided to support a Tory motion of no confidence in Mr Yousaf.

‘Paid the price’

The First Minister was forced to quit after it became clear over the weekend that he would lose the vote. Mr Yousaf said he had “paid the price” and he regretted “the manner in which I ended it”.

He has previously described John Swinney, the front-runner to replace him, as his political mentor but said he would not endorse a candidate.

However, he dismissed claims that Kate Forbes, who is also considering standing, cannot be First Minister because of her Christian views. The Free Church of Scotland member has expressed opposition to gay marriage and children being born out of wedlock.

Mr Yousaf, who is the first Muslim leader of a Western European country, said that “you can be a person of faith and be first minister”.

His extraordinary and swift fall from power was triggered by the Greens scheduling a vote next month on whether they should remain in the Scottish Government. Party members were furious at a key climate change target being abandoned.

‘I caused great upset – that’s on me’

The First Minister repeatedly endorsed the power-sharing agreement up until Tuesday last week, only to perform an about-turn and scrap it less than 48 hours later. He is now leading a minority government.

After Douglas Ross, the Scottish Tory leader, announced that he would table a motion of no confidence, the Greens shocked Mr Yousaf by announcing that they would back it. He is understood to have accepted on Sunday night that he would have to resign before the vote could take place.

Mr Yousaf told BBC Scotland: “In my mind, whether it was a matter of days or weeks, the Bute House agreement was coming to an end. That’s why I say that ending the Bute House agreement was the right thing to do for the party and the country.

“But I accept fully the manner in which it was done clearly caused upset and therefore I’ve paid the price of that.”

He added: “I have to acknowledge the manner in which I did it caused great upset and that’s on me.”

The First Minister also disclosed that the Greens’ controversial stance on the Cass review contributed to the divorce with his party.

Green co-leader rubbished Cass review

Dr Hilary Cass, the author of the Cass review, found that the evidence for allowing young people and children to change gender was built on weak foundations and that there was no good evidence on the long-term outcomes of treatments such as puberty blockers that are given to children.

She could also not rule out that they could contribute to psychological or physical problems in later life, including infertility.

This prompted the Sandyford Clinic in Glasgow to announce that it would no longer prescribe “gender affirming hormones” to new patients aged under 18.

But last week Mr Harvie, the Scottish Greens’ co-leader, told BBC Scotland’s Sunday Show there were “far too many criticisms of it” for him to accept it as a “valid scientific document”.

Despite Dr Cass being one of the UK’s most eminent paediatricians, Mr Harvie said “serious evidence” had not been considered and was “specifically excluded” from her review.

Mr Yousaf said: “I made it very clear my position and the government’s position on the Cass review, but it is fair to say that of course those comments that were made by Patrick Harvie on the Sunday Show did upset a lot in my group.

“We co-operated well with the Greens for almost three years on a number of issues but it was clearly becoming strained.”

Mr Yousaf narrowly beat Ms Forbes in the SNP leadership contest last year to replace Nicola Sturgeon following an ill-tempered campaign in which she tore strips off his record in office.

Potential successors

He will remain First Minister while his successor is chosen, with Ms Forbes weighing up a second leadership bid. However, Mr Swinney is the clear favourite in the contest.

Mr Yousaf refused to back either of the front-runners, but said that his party “needs unity”.

He added: “I would say to supporters of any candidate that we will gain nothing if we talk each other down. The only people who benefit from that are our opponents.”

Rejecting claims that Ms Forbes cannot be First Minister because of her religious beliefs, he said: “What people will judge any potential candidate on are their policies, what they stand for, what they will advocate, what they might end up moving away from in terms of policy.

“That is the right discussion to have – not whether somebody of faith can be first minister.”