Humza Yousaf 'skipped key vote on gay marriage' due to religious views

SNP leadership frontrunner Humza Yousaf ‘skipped key vote on gay marriage’ at Holyrood because of his religious views, former colleague claims

• Mr Yousaf, a Muslim, repeatedly said that he does not use his faith to legislate
• Alex Neil claimed Mr Yousaf said that he was ‘under pressure’ from the mosque

SNP leadership frontrunner Humza Yousaf deliberately skipped the final vote on same-sex marriage in the Scottish Parliament because of his religious views, a former colleague claimed yesterday.

Ex-Scottish health secretary Alex Neil claimed that Mr Yousaf, a Muslim, asked for permission to miss the crucial 2014 vote because he ‘was under so much pressure from the mosque’.

He alleged that Scottish government business was organised for him as an ‘excuse’ to miss the vote, and claimed his former colleague has been ‘dishonest’ about his reasons for not taking part.

The bombshell allegations come after Mr Yousaf’s main leadership rival, devout Christian Kate Forbes, faced an outcry from within the SNP for saying she would have voted against same-sex marriage.

But an ally of Mr Yousaf insists he never raised concerns with him about the same-sex marriage bill.

SNP leadership frontrunner Humza Yousaf deliberately skipped the final vote on same-sex marriage in the Scottish Parliament because of his religious views

Ex-Scottish health secretary Alex Neil claimed that Mr Yousaf, a Muslim, asked for permission to miss the crucial 2014 vote because he ‘was under so much pressure from the mosque’

Mr Yousaf, the current Scottish Health Secretary, has repeatedly said this week that, while Islam opposes gay marriage, he does not use his faith as the basis for legislating.

But Mr Neil said: ‘I was the cabinet minister who took the equal marriage Bill through the parliament for the government and three weeks before the vote, which was a free vote, unlike the GRR [Gender Recognition Reform]… Humza went to Alex Salmond as the First Minister and asked for permission to skip the vote because, quote, ‘he was under so much pressure from the mosque’, end quote.

‘So Alex agreed and allowed him to go and organise a ministerial meeting which wasn’t actually organised until 19 days later I think… which was his excuse for missing the vote.

‘So if he was so devoted to the principle of equal marriage why did he deliberately manoeuvre it so that he skipped the vote and wasn’t there and was dishonest about his reasons why? That’s not leadership, that’s absolute gutlessness quite frankly.’

He said he knows about the issue because he was the minister taking the Bill through parliament and was informed about who was going to be there to vote for it.

On Mr Yousaf’s claim that he does not use his faith as the basis for legislating, Mr Neil said: ‘I think what I’ve just told you proves that’s not the case.

‘His reason for skipping the vote was he didn’t want to annoy the people at the mosque, he was frightened of the pressure at the mosque.

‘I would have thought that proves in that case he was motivated by opinion at the mosque and a fear of standing up for what he said he believed in.’

The bombshell allegations come after devout Christian Kate Forbes, faced an outcry from within the SNP for saying she would have voted against same-sex marriage

When approached about the claims, Mr Salmond said: ‘Alex Neil as Health Secretary and I as First Minister guided the Equal Marriage Bill through as a conscience vote.

‘That is one reason why the legislation, initially controversial, became the settled will of the Parliament and the people. The Gender Recognition Bill would have benefited immeasurably from a similar approach.

‘Thus it was up to every MSP to vote, or not to vote, according to their own conscience.’

Ms Forbes has endured heavy criticism from SNP politicians since she said in a series of interviews on the first day of her campaign that she would have voted against same-sex marriage if she had taken part in the 2014 vote.

Responding to Mr Neil’s claims, Mr Yousaf said: ‘I was proud to vote in favour of the Equal Marriage Bill in Scotland’s Parliament.

‘I was vocal about my support for marriage equality at the time and I remain unequivocal on that position.

‘As your SNP First Minister, and as someone from a minority background myself, I will stand up and champion equal rights for all.’

In November 2013, Mr Yousaf voted in favour of the Marriage and Civil Partnerships (Scotland) Bill but missed the key final vote on the Bill that went through Holyrood on 4 February 2014.

Joe FitzPatrick, who was the SNP Government’s Minister for Parliamentary Business during the passing of the Bill, said: ‘I was the Government’s Minister for Parliamentary Business at the time.

When approached about the claims, Mr Salmond said that ‘it was up to every MSP to vote, or not to vote, according to their own conscience’

‘All arrangements for Ministers being handed permission to conduct vital government business during votes in parliament were handled and approved by myself.

‘While other ministers did raise concerns about the Bill at the time, Humza was not one of them. Humza gave his full backing to the Bill in its first vote through parliament and he continues to be a staunch ally of the LGBTQ+ community to this day and beyond.’

Asked earlier yesterday if he intentionally skipped the vote, Mr Yousaf said: ‘I’ve said already no, and it is incredible that in the years that have receded since then that nobody has ever raised the issue.

‘It says to me somewhat convenient that it is happening during an election leadership bid.’

Source: Read Full Article