SCOTTISH Labour have accused Humza Yousaf of “dangerous and inflammatory rhetoric” after he shared a front page from the Press and Journal.
It comes after the First Minister twice reposted an image of the newspaper’s front page from February 15, which showed Labour figures cloaked up like the eponymous “Traitors” from the hit BBC show presented by Claudia Winkleman.
The four Labour politicians – leader Keir Starmer, shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves, shadow energy secretary Ed Miliband, and Scottish Labour MSP Anas Sarwar – were the target of an attack from Ryan Crighton, the director of policy at the Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce.
Crighton had claimed that Labour’s plans for an expanded windfall tax was a “betrayal” of the north east of Scotland and could cost up to 100,000 jobs.
Scotland's energy sector is crucial to our nation's prosperity.
— Humza Yousaf (@HumzaYousaf) February 15, 2024
Our oil & gas workers deserve better than Labour throwing them on the scrapheap & damaging Scotland's economy.
The SNP will continue to invest in the workforce, they are crucial to our just transition to net zero. pic.twitter.com/1PTptXwa3F
At First Minister’s Questions last week, Yousaf had again referenced the front page, saying: “After The Press and Journal put Anas Sarwar’s face on its front page, with his Labour colleagues, and called him a traitor to the north east, it is incredibly brave of him to come here and say that he is standing up for the north east.”
On Monday, journalists asked Yousaf if he regretted sharing the front page from the newspaper.
He said: "No, I thought it was a very important front page from the P&J. A very good front page from the P&J, because what it did, of course, it pointed out the fact that Labour has completely turned its back on the north east.
“Their plans would mean effectively 100,000 jobs in the north east being put at risk. I'll never apologise for standing up for the north east and as I say, if you've got any issues with the front page of the P&J, you should probably ask the P&J about that."
Pressed on the “toxicity” of the political debate, Yousaf said: “Again, if you have any issues with the newspaper, take it up with your media colleagues.”
But Scottish Labour’s deputy leader Jackie Baillie has taken aim at the First Minister over the Press and Journal’s front page.
No one has any issue with a vigorous debate. It’s important.
— Jackie Baillie (@jackiebmsp) February 23, 2024
But for Humza Yousaf to repeatedly refer to his opponents as ‘traitors’ at a time when our politics is so toxic and divided is unacceptable.
He demeans the office of First Minister. https://t.co/x9SgkYMFjU
She said: “Humza Yousaf’s doubling down on dangerous and inflammatory rhetoric demeans the role of First Minister and shows just how out of his depth he is.
“Rather than engaging in serious political debate, the First Minister has chosen to resort to desperate and dangerous insults at a time of increased political volatility.
“With public representatives across the country experiencing threats on a daily basis, the First Minister should know better than to play this dangerous political game.”
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Baillie had also hit out at Yousaf on social media, writing: “No one has any issue with a vigorous debate. It’s important. But for Humza Yousaf to repeatedly refer to his opponents as ‘traitors’ at a time when our politics is so toxic and divided is unacceptable.
“He demeans the office of First Minister.”
Yousaf’s post, to which she was replying, said: “According to industry experts Labour's plans risk 100,000 jobs.
“The SNP supports a windfall tax, but Labour's raid on the north east would cost jobs in order to pay for more nuclear power plants in England.
“Sarwar stands up for Starmer, while @theSNP will stand up for Scotland.”
He also shared the Press and Journal front page.
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