Scotland Matters Letters

Humza Yousaf’s victory in the SNP leadership election brings to mind the old joke about how you know the mafia is at a cockfight – the duck wins. Yousaf was, by a country mile, the weakest of the three candidates. Has he a trade or a profession? No. Has he significant experience from any job outside politics? No. Perhaps, he did a difficult degree at university -medicine, engineering, law? No, of course not. He read politics. Hu mza Yousaf brings nothing in the way of useful experience, education or insight to the world of politics. It is no surprise that as a consequence he has been reliably a failure in every ministerial post he has held. The only question is how long he will be allowed to fail as first minister? Otto Inglis, Crossgates.

HUMZA Yousaf’s first First Ministers Questions was a let-down. He either read from a prepared script or attempted to parrot Nicola Sturgeon’s exact ‘put-down’ phrases while not answering the question. All very predictable and all showing that Mr Yousaf’s time in office will simply be more of the same but with bigger and bigger problems to face. With the quality on display from this Cabinet, Sturgeon’s proud boast of winning eight elections in a row is going to be coming to a sticky end. Gerald Edwards, Glasgow.

HUMZA Yousafs Cabinet has a very familiar look about it (“More party turmoil as Yousaf names team”, The Herald, March 30). Scotland now has two failed health secretaries as first minister and deputy. Angela Constance, Michael Matheson, Jenny Gilruth and Shirley Anne Somerville have 1445 previous Cabinet posts between them. If this is the best the SNP can muster it does not bode well for us. This collection of recycled below-average politicians has three years to improve life in Scotland. Don’t get your hopes up. Ian Balloch, Grangemouth.

SO, the new First Minister has adopted the nomenclature of leader of the generation that will see independence. He has certainly put paid to the prospect of my 60s-plus generation ever seeing it with his Cabinet and ministerial appointments. Roddy MacDonald, Ayr.

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