ANYONE being discriminated against should respond with a firm “f*** you” to the haters, First Minister Humza Yousaf has said.
The SNP leader admitted that the language didn’t fit his governmental office, but insisted people needed the confidence to fight back against bigotry.
The comments came as Yousaf appeared as the Edinburgh Fringe opposite Matt Forde at a live recording of the comic’s “Political Party” podcast.
Yousaf, a Muslim, said that he recognised there was a lot of diversity in Scotland that hadn’t yet made it through to the political ranks.
“We have never had a single Black member of the Scottish Parliament ever. I don’t think we’ve ever had a single Jewish member of the Scottish Parliament. If I’m wrong I’m happy to be corrected,” Yousaf said.
“There’s a lot of diversity that just hasn’t come through our political ranks just yet in Scotland but I genuinely hope that people can look at me and say, you know what, because you’ve made it it makes us feel any of us can make it, which is a bit of inspiration I hope I can give.”
Yousaf, who was privately educated at Hutchesons’ Grammar in Glasgow, said that class was also a barrier.
“How do we make politics as accessible to those that do not have the privilege that I have had growing up?” he asked.
Yousaf then went on: “This is maybe an uncomfortable message for some, but I’ve spent most of my political life being told by mainly middle-aged white Conservatives, both in politics and frankly some in the media, that I’m not smart, I’m out of my depth. Essentially saying you don’t belong here in the political realm.
“And, yeah, I hope that any other person, whether it’s your colour, whether it’s your gender, or whether it’s your background, if you get told ‘actually you don’t belong here’, you should, kind of look at me, and say: ‘f*** you’.
“It’s not first ministerial language, but you should say, You know what, I do belong here. Because you very much do. This is your country, and whatever field you’re working in you should absolutely have confidence that you’re able to achieve the highest level.”
