Humza Yousaf: Tell bigots to ‘f*** you’

The First Minister used the colourful language at a Fringe event

First Minister Humza Yousaf has urged anyone told they do not belong because of their colour, gender or background to reply ‘f*** you’.

The SNP leader told an Edinburgh Fringe audience of his pride in becoming the first Muslim First Minister, but highlighted a continued lack of diversity in Holyrood, such as the lack of any black MSPs.

He said: “There’s a lot of diversity that just hasn’t come through our political ranks yet in Scotland, but I genuinely hope can look at me and I’ve had this a lot in the last 130 odd days, a lot of people from different diversities saying you know what, because you’ve made it it makes us feel like anyone can make it which is a bit of inspiration I hope I can give.

Humza Yousaf appeared at a Fringe event

"This is maybe an uncomfortable message for some, but I’ve spent most of my political life being told by mainly middle-aged white male conservatives both in politics and, frankly, some in the media, that I’m not smart enough, that I’m out of my depth, essentially saying that you don’t belong here in the political realm.

"I hope that any other person, whether it’s your colour, whether it’s your gender, or your background and you get told actually you don’t belong here, you should kind of look at me and say ‘f*** you’.”

In a wide-ranging discussion, Mr Yousaf also told the live recording of The Political Party with Matt Forde how he did not believe Nicola Sturgeon quit because of the police probe into SNP finances.