47 Facts About Humza Yousaf

Humza Haroon Yousaf is a Scottish politician who has served as first minister of Scotland and leader of the Scottish National Party since March 2023.

Humza Yousaf served under his predecessor Nicola Sturgeon as justice secretary from 2018 to 2021 and then as health secretary from 2021 to 2023.

Humza Yousaf has been Member of the Scottish Parliament for Glasgow Pollok since 2016, having previously been a regional MSP for Glasgow from 2011 to 2016.

Humza Yousaf supported Sturgeon's successful leadership bid in 2014 and after she was sworn in as first minister, he was appointed as the Europe minister before being appointed minister for transport and the islands in 2016.

Humza Yousaf introduced a controversial bill to parliament which ultimately became law as the Hate Crime and Public Order Act 2021.

Humza Yousaf was appointed first minister on 29 March 2023, becoming the youngest person, first Scottish Asian and first Muslim to serve in office.

Humza Yousaf was sworn into the Privy Council in May 2023.

Humza Haroon Yousaf was born in the city of Glasgow on 7 April 1985.

Humza Yousaf is the son of first-generation immigrants: his father Mian Muzaffar Yousaf was born in Mian Channu, Punjab, Pakistan, and emigrated from the city with his family in the 1960s, eventually working as an accountant.

Humza Yousaf's mother, Shaaista Bhutta, was born in Nairobi, Kenya, to a family of Punjabi descent.

Humza Yousaf's family experienced violent racially motivated attacks on several occasions for being seen as taking jobs that "belonged" to Africans, and they later immigrated to Scotland.

Humza Yousaf was one of two ethnic-minority pupils to attend his primary school.

Humza Yousaf studied politics at the University of Glasgow where he was President of the Glasgow University Muslim Students Association.

From an early age, Humza Yousaf was involved in community work, ranging from youth organisations to charity fundraising.

Humza Yousaf was the volunteer media spokesperson for the charity Islamic Relief, worked for community radio for twelve years and on a project which provided food packages to homeless people and asylum seekers in Glasgow.

Humza Yousaf joined the Scottish National Party in 2005, while studying at Glasgow university.

Humza Yousaf started campaigning extensively for the SNP, including for the 2007 Scottish parliament election, which resulted in the first SNP government in Scotland and Yousaf's first job in the Scottish parliament.

In 2006, Humza Yousaf worked in an O2 call centre, before working as a parliamentary assistant for Bashir Ahmad, from Ahmad's election as Scotland's first Muslim MSP in 2007 until Ahmad's death two years later.

Humza Yousaf then worked as parliamentary assistant for a few other MSPs including Anne McLaughlin, Nicola Sturgeon and Alex Salmond, who was then First Minister.

In 2008, whilst working as an aide, Humza Yousaf took part in the International Visitor Leadership Program, a professional exchange run by the US State Department.

Humza Yousaf was elected to the Scottish Parliament as an additional member for the Glasgow electoral region in the 2011 election.

Humza Yousaf served on the SNP's backbenches and was a member of the parliament's justice and public audit committees.

On 25 May 2011, Humza Yousaf was appointed as a Parliamentary Liaison Officer to the Office of the First Minister, remaining in this post until 4 September 2012.

Humza Yousaf was the first Scottish Asian and Muslim to be appointed as a minister to the Scottish Government.

Humza Yousaf promoted Yousaf to the Scottish Cabinet to serve as Cabinet Secretary for Justice, succeeding Michael Matheson.

In October 2020, Humza Yousaf said that the exception to the Public Order Act 1986 which allows people to use otherwise illegal language in their own homes should be abolished.

Humza Yousaf added that the children in question had been hospitalised for other reasons.

Humza Yousaf clarified his statement and apologised for "any undue alarm".

The Scottish Government was accused of being 'missing in action' after it emerged that First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, Deputy First Minister John Swinney and Humza Yousaf were all on holiday.

In September 2021, the average waiting time for an ambulance in Scotland soared to six hours and Humza Yousaf urged the public to "think twice" before they called 999.

Humza Yousaf committed to challenging the UK Government over its decision to block the Gender Recognition Reform Bill and stated he wanted to increase support for Scottish independence before delivering a referendum.

Humza Yousaf said he was not "wedded" with using the next UK general election as a de facto referendum on Scottish independence and that one of the issues would be the inability for 16-year-olds and 17-year-olds to vote.

Humza Yousaf reaffirmed his commitment to defend the Scottish Parliament against the UK Government's Section 35 order, which aims to block the gender reform bill.

Humza Yousaf added that he could not pretend the bill had not "caused some division" within his party and stated he was "keen to work with those who have got real concerns".

Humza Yousaf said at the time that he was meeting the Pakistani consul to discuss the case of a Scotsman facing the death penalty for blasphemy.

Humza Yousaf stated his support for the Gender Recognition Reform Bill, while his opponents Kate Forbes and Ash Regan opposed it.

Humza Yousaf accepted the leadership at an event at Murrayfield Stadium where he promised to lead the party in the interest of all its members.

Humza Yousaf was sworn in as first minister of Scotland on 29 March 2023, becoming the youngest, first Scottish Asian and Muslim to hold office since it was created in 1999.

Humza Yousaf entered office amid the ongoing cost of living crisis.

Humza Yousaf has emphasised the need for a wellbeing economy and has proposed introducing a new wealth tax in order to raise money for more welfare benefits.

Humza Yousaf is a follower of his predecessor, Nicola Sturgeon, and is in favour of continuing her socially progressive policies.

Humza Yousaf has supported the idea for holding a second referendum, often informally described as "indyref2".

Humza Yousaf has raised concerns over using the next UK general election as a de facto referendum as it would not allow 16 and 17-year-olds to vote.

In 2020, Humza Yousaf expressed support for increasing the racial diversity among top government positions in Scotland.

Humza Yousaf voted in favour of the Gender Recognition Reform Bill.

Additionally, Humza Yousaf has vowed to secure the rights of LGBT community in a written constitution if Scotland gains independence.

Humza Yousaf was married to former SNP worker Gail Lythgoe from 2010 to 2016.