Scotland’s first minister, Humza Yousaf, whose parents-in-law are trapped in Gaza, has offered the use of Scottish hospitals to treat injured Palestinian civilians, as he called on the UK government to arrange medical evacuations from the narrow strip that is under Israeli bombardment.
He also said civilians must be allowed leave Gaza and he urged the international community to set up a “worldwide refugee programme” for the strip’s residents, in his first party conference leader’s speech since taking over from Nicola Sturgeon at the helm of the Scottish National Party.
Mr Yousaf said he condemned “in the strongest possible manner” the recent attacks on Israel by “Hamas terrorists”. He also appeared emotional as he recounted telephone calls he had recently with his brother-in-law, a doctor in Gaza who, he said, must decide “who to treat and who to let die”.
“The life of a Palestinian is equal to the life of an Israeli,” said Mr Yousaf. “Collective punishment can never be justified. The blockade [of Gaza by Israel and Egypt] must end.”
The SNP leader’s speech was delivered on Tuesday afternoon at the end of a three-day party conference at a convention complex near Aberdeen airport. The mood was mostly subdued throughout, with the SNP slipping in polls and after a thumping byelection defeat two weeks ago.
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Mr Yousaf urged his fellow party members not to “spend time feeling sorry for ourselves” after their defeat to Labour in Rutherglen and Hamilton West, on the southern edge of Glasgow. The result has buoyed Labour strategists who believe they can take up to 20 of Scotland’s Westminster seats from the SNP at the UK general election expected next year. Mr Yousaf said the SNP must respond by “rolling up our sleeves and working harder than ever before”.
He packed his speech with a slew of new spending measures and policies, including a freeze on council tax, an extra £100 million per year to cut health waiting lists, £500 million in government investment in offshore wind, and a doubling of Scottish government investment in arts and culture.
Mr Yousaf also announced that a new government-backed Fund to Leave would give domestic violence victims £1,000 each to assist them in leaving their abuser.
He also announced that Scotland would start selling bonds for the first time on international capital markets. The first Scotland bonds would hit the markets by the end of the current parliament in 2026, funding infrastructure such as affordable housing.
“This will bring Scotland to the attention of investors across the world,” he said.
“Brick by brick, institution by institution, we are laying the foundations for what will be our newlyindependent state,” he said, promising that Scotland was “in the early days of a better nation”.
Mr Yousaf also attacked the “unmitigated disaster” of Brexit, and promised to lead Scotland back into the European Union if it becomes independent from the UK. On Sunday, the SNP agreed a new strategy for seeking talks with the UK government on a fresh independence referendum.
The speech was politely received by the crowd in the conference hall, although the main conference room was barely two-thirds full for Mr Yousaf’s speech.
The SNP leader also thanked Ms Sturgeon, who made a surprise appearance at the conference on Monday, for her service to the party.
