HUMZA Yousaf’s campaign has received help from a top aide to Nicola Sturgeon, it is understood.
A spokesperson for the SNP leadership contender did not deny that the Health Secretary was being advised by Liz Lloyd, a long-time senior adviser to the outgoing First Minister, after claims were reported in The Scottish Sun.
The paper reported Lloyd, who has worked for Nicola Sturgeon since 2015, had been aiding Yousaf’s campaign, quoting sources who claimed her alleged involvement showed the party’s old guard was rallying around the Health Secretary, the self-confessed “continuity candidate”.
READ MORE: Ash Regan and Kate Forbes urge SNP chief Peter Murrell to publish party membership
A spokesperson for Yousaf said: "The campaign team is Neil Gray, Shona Robison, myself and a small group of voluntary party members.
"Not denying there has been some advice in line with the SpAd code ... but the campaign is being led and run by those mentioned above.
"Any personal advice offered outside of that campaign team is not for me to be privy to or comment on."
It comes after prominent figures within the SNP hierarchy, including the party’s leader in Westminster Stephen Flynn and the second-most senior figure in Government John Swinney, came out in favour of Yousaf taking over as party leader.
Yousaf has faced accusations of being selected by SNP high command – but has previously insisted he is his “own man”.
The Health Secretary said previously: “I’ll bring my own leadership style when I’m the first minister of Scotland but let me say this much – if continuity means continuing 15 years of winning elections, which means 15 years of growing support for independence, if it means 15 years of being the national government of Scotland, then I think that continuity is no bad thing.”
READ MORE: Rishi Sunak seizes on Forbes's SNP criticisms to attack party at PMQs
The Scottish Sun reported a source as saying: “SNP HQ is panicking about Kate winning.
"This is more evidence of that.”
Lloyd became the First Minister’s chief of staff in 2015, leaving that role in August 2021, when she became a strategic policy and political adviser to Sturgeon.
A Scottish Government spokesperson told the paper: “In line with the special adviser code of conduct, special advisers are permitted to assist with party leadership elections, in their own time, while still employed by the Government."
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel