Sarwar: ‘Humza Yousaf’s leadership is in tailspin. The time for change has come’

This week will go down as one of the most significant in recent Scottish political history.

Fresh from extolling the virtues of the ruling SNP-Green coalition on Tuesday, by Thursday morning the First Minister had consigned it to the history books – leaving Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater out of government.

Humza Yousaf may not have been the First Minister who signed the Bute House Agreement – but from the outset of his leadership, he has tied his political destiny to the partnership.

The Bute House Agreement has failed

When Nicola Sturgeon signed the Bute House Agreement she told us it would mean a “commitment to more affordable housing, a better deal for tenants”, “steps to accelerate our transition to net zero”, and a focus on “green jobs”.

After fewer than three years of Humza Yousaf’s weak leadership, the affordable housing budget has been slashed, rents are rising faster in Scotland than the rest of the UK and climate targets have been abandoned.

And the only two green jobs created – Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater’s – have now come to an end just like the Bute House Agreement.

Just days ago, Humza Yousaf said the Bute House Agreement was “worth its weight in gold” – now it is in tatters.

Humza Yousaf is no longer making decisions at top of SNP

It is clear for all to see that he no longer is making the decisions at the top of his own party.

From U-turns on the windfall tax and climate change targets to this very public sacking of the Scottish Greens, it’s clear that Humza Yousaf has lost control of his party and that his leadership is in tailspin.

The challenges facing our country have never been so great, but Scotland’s Government has never been so poor and its leadership has never been so weak.

1 in 7 Scots are stuck on an NHS waiting list as he fails to get a grip of the NHS crisis.

Families struggling to make ends meet while this Government wastes public money.

And green jobs going elsewhere while he scraps the Government’s climate target.

While the SNP loses its way, Scottish Labour is ready to deliver change

The people of Scotland can see the SNP have lost their way: weak, divided and incompetent. Putting party before country.

In contrast, Scottish Labour is ready to deliver the change Scotland needs.

From a New Deal for Working People to tackling our soaring NHS waits, Scottish Labour has a plan for Scotland.

We will make Scotland a world-leader in clean energy with GB energy and deliver 50,000 clean energy jobs.

And we will restore our public services to the people that they serve.

The time for change has come. We need a general election across the UK, and we need an election here in Scotland too.

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