HUMZA Yousaf has apologised after calling a top Scottish lawyer a “Tory f***wit” in a WhatsApp message released to the public.
The former first minister, who was then serving as the health secretary, sent the profane missive about Dean of the Faculty of Advocates Roddy Dunlop to former national clinical director Jason Leitch during the pandemic, The Scotsman reports.
Dunlop told the paper he found the message “quite amusing” and said the SNP MSP had called him to apologise.
The text was obtained as part of a tranche of WhatsApp messages between senior members of the Government by Peter Todd, a member of the public, through a Freedom of Information request.
The Scotsman reported that on May 31, 2021, Yousaf wrote to Leitch: “Dunlop is a Tory f*ckwit. Remember Twitter isn’t real life!”
The context is said to be unclear due to redactions but the paper noted that the same day Dunlop had criticised Leitch for comments he made on the BBC about plans for the Euros fan zone in Glasgow despite the city remaining under tough lockdown restrictions.
Dunlop had tweeted: “‘What we are doing now’ (holding 630k people in level 3 with ruinous financial consequences) ‘is to allow that’ (3k people to gather in a fan zone and watch a 90min football game that’s on telly anyway) ‘to happen’. I’m sure this will be a great relief to the hospitality industry.”
Leitch had replied on Twitter: “Roddy, I think you know that’s not what I said or meant.”
A spokesman for Yousaf told The Scotsman: "The emergency phase of Covid, in particular, was a stressful, emotive and high-pressured time for everyone. These messages were intended to be private communications between two colleagues. Notwithstanding this, Humza regrets the language used, particularly given the professional and personal respect he has for Roddy Dunlop KC."
Dunlop told the paper: “I know Humza well, having worked closely with him when he was cabinet secretary for justice. He contacted me this morning to apologise, and I have no difficulty in accepting his apology. No offence is taken and, on the contrary, I actually find this quite amusing.”
Other conversations between Leitch (above) and Yousaf have revealed the pair to have used colourful language about politicians, including a message where the former clinical director described a Labour MSP as a “smart arse”.
Leitch previously came in for criticism for describing the deletion of his WhatsApp messages during the pandemic as a “pre-bed ritual”.
He left his government post earlier this year for a new job in the private sector with a plastic surgery firm.
