Back in 2016, a video went viral showing a young Scottish politician of Pakistani origin, wearing a kilt and sherwani, taking his oath in Urdu. He had won a seat in Glasgow on the platform of the Scottish National Party (SNP), which seeks independence from Britain. Fast forward to 2023, and this young man is now sitting in the highest position in Scotland.
He is Humza Yousaf, the new first minister of Scotland – the first from an ethnic minority. The 37-year-old has replaced Nicola Sturgeon both as the leader of the SNP and the top executive of Scotland, becoming the youngest and the first Muslim leader of a government in western Europe. He also has the distinction of being the first Muslim to lead a major UK party. The United Kingdom now has two members from the ethnic minority holding top offices – Rishi Sunak as the British prime minister and now Humza. The SNP leaders are beaming with pride for making Scotland the first democracy in western Europe to have appointed a Muslim as its leader.
Most of Britain’s multiculturalism is displayed in the cabinet formations of recent prime ministers. Besides, London has a mayor, Sadiq Khan, who has roots in Pakistan, and so does the Scottish Labour Party leader, Anas Sarwar. The second-generation children of immigrants are now playing an active role in various fields of Britain, including politics. Many have risen to hold important offices. There are the likes of Priti Patel, Nadhim Zahawi, Suella Braverman, Sajid Javed, and Kemi Badenoch.
But Humza Yousaf has gone a step ahead. His achievement stands out, no doubt because of his ethnicity, but primarily because of his religious background.
According to CNN, “the triumph of British-born Yousaf, whose family traces their ancestry to Pakistan, is just the latest reflection of how times have changed as people of South Asian descent now occupy leadership roles in the British, Scottish, and Irish parliaments.” Humza Yousaf had served as the Scottish health secretary in Nicola Sturgeon’s cabinet. He narrowly won the SNP leadership, edging out Kate Forbes, who secured 47.9 percent of the votes to Humza’s 52.1 percent.
News outlets in Spain, Germany, France, the US, Ireland, Australia, and India flashed the story, highlighting Humza’s youth and Muslim heritage.
Humza’s first and foremost task will be to unite the fractured SNP and rejuvenate the stalled pursuit of Scottish independence.
And, he is aware of the challenges that lie ahead.
In his speech after winning the SNP leadership, Humza acknowledged that he had “some very big shoes to fill in succeeding Sturgeon. He also vowed to argue vigorously for independence, promising to be “the generation that delivers independence for Scotland.” In recent years, support for independence has fallen. According to recent surveys, around 45 percent of Scots want independence from the United Kingdom, which is the same percentage recorded during the 2014 referendum. Humza has given hope to many immigrant families. He has instilled in them the vigor to achieve their goals, irrespective of their backgrounds. It does not matter what color or religion you are; British society is opening its doors to talent and merit. In the end, that’s what counts. With such a diverse society, the United Kingdom would have a very different face to present in the coming years.
