Education secretary Bridget Phillipson tells LBC ‘we’re not intending to legislate around this’Humza Yousaf, the former Scottish first minister, has announced that he will stand down as an MSP at the next Holyrood election, in 2026.In a letter to current first minister John Swinney, Yousaf said he will be campaigning hard for the SNP at the next election but will not run himself. He said:Come 2026, I will have served 15 years as an MSP, 12 of those years as a minister in the Scottish government.The next Scottish parliament elections in 2026 will be the right time for me to move on, to provide an opportunity for the next generation of MSPs to step forward, and to explore where I can best make a contribution in the future in helping to tackle some of the most pressing challenges our world faces.It is often said that you cannot be what you cannot see. I hope by by becoming the first first minister of colour, and first Muslim leader of a Western democratic nation, I have sent a clear message to every young person, of any background, who aspires to get involved in public service, that you do belong and are just as deserving of opportunity as everybody else.When one chapter begins to close, you often spend time reflecting on your achievements, mistakes and even regrets – I have all three. However, I hope that throughout it all, I was able to treat people with kindness, courtesy and respect.I am sorry to see @HumzaYousaf stepping down @ScotParl. He has been a pioneer in Scottish politics. I value all he has contributed to @scotgov and @theSNP and look forward to his continued involvement. I wish Humza, Nadia and their family much peace together Continue reading…
Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2024/dec/17/uk-politics-latest-news-labour-conservatives-keir-starmer
Author : Andrew Sparrow
Publish date : 2024-12-17 10:04:00
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