Stephen Flynn backs Humza Yousaf in SNP leadership race
- Published
Stephen Flynn was elected as the SNP's new leader at Westminster in December
SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn has backed Humza Yousaf in the race to replace Nicola Sturgeon.
Mr Flynn is the latest high-profile figure in the party to endorse the Scottish health secretary.
On Saturday Mr Yousaf will join fellow contenders Kate Forbes and Ash Regan for a hustings event at Strathclyde University.
SNP members will start voting for the new leader on Monday, with the winner to be announced on 27 March.
Speaking on BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme, Mr Flynn said: "I think, for all of us, we need a big bit of hope at the moment.
"We have had a difficult few years with Brexit, with Liz Truss crashing the economy in October, with the cost of living crisis, and I think that Humza can provide that hope."
The Aberdeen South MP praised Mr Yousaf's plans to expand childcare and provide help with the cost of living.
He also said the health secretary understood the necessity for energy security and green jobs.
The three SNP leadership candidates will take part on a BBC Scotland debate next Tuesday
During last week's STV debate, leadership rival Kate Forbes delivered a sharp critique of Mr Yousaf's recording in government, telling him: "You were a transport minister and the trains were never on time, when you were justice secretary the police were stretched to breaking point, and now as health minister we've got record high waiting times."
Asked about that scathing criticism, Mr Flynn said: "It is inevitable that when you are having a contest people will perhaps overegg things.
"When it comes to health Humza has overseen the NHS obviously in a very difficult spot. I don't think anyone is ever going to try and undersell that.
"But our NHS is performing better than any of those on these isles."
Challenged about record waiting times, Mr Flynn blamed a backlog from the Covid pandemic and an ageing population.
He also said Mr Yousaf's record in transport and justice was one to be "proud of", citing examples such as the delivery of the Queensferry Crossing under budget and falling crime figures.
Asked if divisions in the party had been exposed since Ms Sturgeon announced she was standing down, Mr Flynn said there were disagreements within every political party.
But he added: "I think when colleagues are having debate they need to remember that whilst you can disagree you don't necessarily need to be disagreeable."
Ms Forbes has criticised Mr Yousaf's record as transport, justice and health secretary
SNP Westminster deputy leader Mhairi Black had already announced her support for Mr Yousaf, criticising Ms Forbes, who has said she would not have voted for same-sex marriage if she had been at Holyrood when the legislation was passed.
Bruce Crawford, a former parliamentary business secretary in the Scottish government, also endorsed Mr Yousaf.
The former MSP tweeted: "I have thought long and hard about who should be the next leader of the SNP. I believe that Humza Yousaf is the candidate who has best demonstrated the qualities and attributes to be that leader."
Veteran SNP MSPs Annabelle Ewing and Christine Grahame are among those to have announced they will be voting for Ms Forbes.
One of the party's best known MPs, Joanna Cherry KC, has given her support to Ms Regan.
Mr Yousaf has revealed he called in police in the erly stages of his leadership campaign
Meanwhile, Mr Yousaf has revealed he was forced to call in Police Scotland over abuse he experienced in the early days of his campaign.
Mr Yousaf spoke of his fears that running to be first minister could impact his family, and his children in particular.
He said: "It's one of the long conversations, the hard conversations, that I had with the family who know about the racial and Islamophobic abuse that I get.
"Ultimately you don't really worry about yourself too much - you worry about your kids."
A Police Scotland spokesman confirmed a 25-year-old man and 35-year-old woman were arrested and charged in connection to reports of abusive and threatening behaviour in the Dundee area last month.
The three leadership candidates will take part in an hour-long Debate Night programme from Edinburgh at 20:00 on Tuesday 14 March on BBC One Scotland.