Humza Yousaf (Rutherglen, Scotland, 38 years previous) is the First Minister of Scotland. He was the primary Muslim to carry the place. He additionally presides over the Scottish National Party (SNP), changing Nicola Sturgeon, who left behind a divided occasion, mired in a scandal of alleged corruption and with the independence undertaking headed in the direction of unilateralism. and in the direction of a prepare wreck with London.
On October 7, when Hamas carried out atrocious terrorist acts in Israel, Yousaf instantly went to a synagogue to hug the rabbi and calm tensions. The Scottish politician, of Pakistani origin and whose father-in-law is Palestinian, later noticed how his spouse’s dad and mom had been trapped for a number of days beneath the bombs in Gaza, the place that they had gone to go to family.
Not even that anguish diminished his insistence on moderating his tone and avoiding the incendiary slander into which, he accuses, British conservatives have fallen. Yousaf receives a number of correspondents from the LENA newspapers (European alliance of newspapers, together with EL PAÍS) on the Scottish House in London.
Ask. Brexit has disappeared from the political debate within the United Kingdom, but it surely stays alive within the Scottish debate.
Answer. I feel the proof is now indeniable: Brexit has been an unmitigated catastrophe. There are already very quite a few economists and consultants of all stripes who declare that the United Kingdom is worse than different international locations round it. That is why we want independence greater than ever, as a result of Scotland is at this time tied to a United Kingdom in financial decline on account of its departure from the EU.
Q. Unlike your predecessor, Nicola Sturgeon, you consider there is just one path to independence.
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R. There are not any shortcuts or magic wands. There isn’t any secret technique to independence. The British Government must take heed to us and respect the democratic vote. And we are going to solely obtain that if we enhance assist for independence at residence (in Scotland).
Q. Therefore, no one-sidedness. Sturgeon even proposed that the subsequent common election (no date but, however anticipated in November) be a referendum de facto…
R. I am not considering any unilateral path. It must be a authorized and binding referendum. There isn’t any different technique to obtain independence. That is why we must create the required political stress in order that the United Kingdom Government has no different choice than to adjust to the need of the residents.
Q. The Labor Party is on a roll, the polls predict its victory. If he recovers votes in Scotland, the independence trigger would deflate.
R. I’ll inform you clearly: solely when the SNP wins elections does the independence trigger advance. That is why our message must be that: in case you consider in independence, you must vote for us.
Q. The SNP’s relations with the Catalan independence motion have all the time been superb. Do you consider that the amnesty agreed with the Spanish Government is a means of reconciliation?
R. The difficulty of Scottish independence is an inner matter between the Scottish and British governments. The identical can be mentioned of Catalonia. We are not going to intervene in an inner matter. Only the Spanish and Catalan governments are accountable for discussing the difficulty of amnesty. We hope to proceed having good relations with each of them.
Q. The tragedy of October 7 and that of Gaza. As a Muslim and British chief, has it been troublesome so that you can discover stability?
R. It is not a matter of searching for stability. The query is: are we keen to demand humanity, compassion and the entire reality? Because that is what we want. I see no battle in expressing our ache and sorrow for the Israeli households whose family members stay kidnapped by Hamas, whereas additionally expressing our ache, sorrow and compassion for the folks of Gaza, who’re struggling an unimaginable humanitarian disaster.
Q. The United Kingdom suspended its monetary contribution to the UN Agency for Palestine Refugees within the Near East (UNRWA). The Scottish Government has already contributed nearly 900,000 euros.
R. There are a number of European international locations which have by no means suspended their funding to UNRWA, together with Spain. I’ve by no means believed in collective punishment. Allegations that some of its personnel colluded in terrorist assaults must, of course, be investigated and the culprits punished, if any. But withdrawing funding means punishing 2.2 million harmless folks residing in Gaza.
Q. What is the answer to this battle?
Q. We will solely obtain long-term stability if there are two states, and one technique to obtain that’s via recognition of the Palestinian state. That is why I am glad to watch the motion carried out by some international locations, akin to Spain, whose Government has dedicated to recognizing this Palestinian State on the finish of its present parliamentary mandate.
Q. Rishi Sunak’s Government assures that British democracy is in peril because of the menace of extremism and needs to develop its authorized definition. Do you agree?
R. It will rely upon the ultimate definition. But what I can say, for now, is that the British Conservative Government’s strategy to episodes of Islamophobia, anti-Semitism or road protests has been reasonably to inflame the divisions and tensions that already existed.
Q. Is there Islamophobia within the Conservative Party?
R. They have devoted themselves to stigmatizing the Muslim neighborhood. We have seen horrible examples of Islamophobia coming from the Conservative Party. I’d counsel to the Government that it does not face the subsequent common elections by launching a cultural conflict that can trigger better division, however reasonably that it attempt to unite folks.
Q. Words must be measured on this local weather of stress. Would you discuss genocide in Gaza?
R. My place on genocide could be very clear, it’s one thing that’s as much as worldwide courts to determine. But I’ve additionally unequivocally expressed my conviction that some statements by members of the Israeli Government, akin to these of the Minister of National Security or these of the Economy, characterize a textbook protection of what would be ethnic cleaning.
Q. Do you concern that Islamophobia or racism will be a bargaining chip within the common elections?
R. I consider that within the Westminster surroundings (seat of the UK Parliament), within the final 14 years, each with Labor and the Conservatives, a very destructive discourse has been created concerning immigration, opposite to the proof of the day. day, which present that immigrants contribute greater than they obtain. The conservatives can not present financial credibility or some other proposal. They are going to create division and squeeze voters with points akin to migration, Islamophobia or multiculturalism. As a consequence, probably the most susceptible in our society will find yourself being the goal to kill.
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