Humza Yousaf

Humza Haroon Yousaf (/ˈhʌmzə ˈjʊsəf/;[1] born 7 April 1985) is a Scottish politician. He has been First Minister of Scotland since 29 March 2023. He became Leader of the Scottish National Party on 27 March 2023. Born in Glasgow, Scotland, he is of Pakistani descent.


Humza Yousaf

First Minister Humza Yousaf (52784069858) (cropped 2).jpg
Yousaf in 2023
First Minister of Scotland
Assumed office
29 March 2023
MonarchCharles III
DeputyShona Robison
Preceded byNicola Sturgeon
Leader of the Scottish National Party
Assumed office
27 March 2023
DeputyKeith Brown
Preceded byNicola Sturgeon
Ministerial offices (2018–2023)
Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care
In office
20 May 2021 – 28 March 2023
First MinisterNicola Sturgeon
Preceded byJeane Freeman
Succeeded byMichael Matheson
Cabinet Secretary for Justice
In office
26 June 2018 – 20 May 2021
First MinisterNicola Sturgeon
Preceded byMichael Matheson
Succeeded byKeith Brown
Junior ministerial offices (2012–2018)
Minister for Transport and the Islands
In office
18 May 2016 – 26 June 2018
First MinisterNicola Sturgeon
Preceded byDerek Mackay
Succeeded byPaul Wheelhouse
Minister for Europe and International Development[a]
In office
6 September 2012 – 18 May 2016
First Minister
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byAlasdair Allan
Parliamentary offices
Member of the Scottish Parliament
for Glasgow Pollok
Assumed office
5 May 2016
Preceded byJohann Lamont
Majority7,105 (21.0%)
Member of the Scottish Parliament
for Glasgow
(1 of 7 Regional MSPs)
In office
5 May 2011 – 5 May 2016
Personal details
Born
Humza Haroon Yousaf

(1985-04-07) 7 April 1985 (age 39)
Glasgow, Scotland
Political partyScottish National Party
Spouse(s)
Gail Lythgoe
(m. 2010; div. 2017)

Nadia El-Nakla (m. 2019)
Children1
ParentsMuzaffar Yousaf
Shaaista Bhutta
ResidenceBute House
Alma materUniversity of Glasgow
Websitehumzayousaf.scot
First Minister of Scotland

Yousaf was born in Glasgow, Scotland on 7 April 1985.[2] He is the son of Pakistani parents.[3]

He has been a Member of the Scottish Parliament since 2016, representing Glasgow Pollok. He supported Nicola Sturgeon. In 2021, he became health secretary during the COVID-19 pandemic and was responsible for the NHS' recovery and roll out of the vaccination programme.

In 2023, he was one of the three candidates hoping to replace Sturgeon as the First Minister of Scotland and leader of the SNP. On the 27 March 2023, it was announced he had won the leadership race.

Yousaf is the first Scottish Asian and Muslim to serve as First Minister. He is also the youngest person to be First Minister.[4][5]

Yousaf was married to former SNP worker Gail Lythgoe from 2010 to 2016.[6][7] In 2019, he married psychotherapist Nadia El-Nakla from Dundee. He has two children.[8]

Humza Yousaf Media

Notes

  1. External Affairs and International Development (2012–14)

References

  1. "Humza Yousaf, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, visit to University Hospital Monklands". YouTube. Archived from the original on 28 March 2023. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  2. "Humza Yousaf MSP | PrideOfPakistan.com". Pride of Pakistan. Archived from the original on 12 March 2023. Retrieved 2023-03-12.
  3. "Who is Humza Yousaf, the Punjabi-origin Scottish politician in the race for the top job?". The Indian Express. 2023-02-23. Archived from the original on 12 March 2023. Retrieved 2023-03-12.
  4. "Humza Yousaf confirmed as Scotland's new first minister" (in en-GB). BBC News. 2023-03-28. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-65098609. Retrieved 2023-03-29. 
  5. "Humza Yousaf elected by MSPs as Scotland's new first minister". Sky News. Archived from the original on 29 March 2023. Retrieved 2023-03-29.
  6. SNP activist caught up in 'fake leaflet' row. 17 April 2012. https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/snp-activist-caught-fake-leaflet-row-1633103. Retrieved 27 June 2020. 
  7. McLaughlin, Mark (4 October 2019). "Journey of discovery: interview with Humza Yousaf". Holyrood Website. Archived from the original on 1 March 2020. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  8. Malik, Paul (14 October 2019). "Dundee case worker married to justice secretary shares heartbreak after three miscarriages". The Courier. Archived from the original on 3 October 2020. Retrieved 27 June 2020.