Humza Yousaf’s absence from key vote on gay marriage being ‘dragged up’ for political reasons, SNP leadership candidate says
One of three candidates vying to take over from Nicola Sturgeon as leader of the SNP says his absence from a key vote on gay marriage is being “dragged up” for political reasons.
Humza Yousaf told Sky News that his abstention from the final vote on equal marriage in Scotland in 2014 is being raised by “people who are supporting other candidates”.
That “probably tells you the motivation behind it”, he added.
Asked twice whether gay sex is a sin, Mr Yousaf, a practising Muslim who says he will be fasting during Ramadan, replied: “No.”
He told Sophy Ridge on Sunday: “I believe that people’s marriage, if they are gay, and they are married, that their marriage is no more inferior, or worth less, than my marriage as a heterosexual individual.
“So no, I don’t subscribe to that view (that gay sex is a sin).”
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‘A rapist cannot be a woman’
Regarding religious concerns about homosexuality, he said: “I can’t change what’s in scripture. What I can tell you is the approach I will take which is that I will not allow personal faith to be the basis of legislation.”
Asked about his absence from the 2014 vote, Mr Yousaf said he attended a meeting to try to get a Scottish citizen, who was in Pakistan “on blasphemy”, and who had been attacked on death row, back to Scotland.
He told Sky News: “There was a series of meetings taking place between myself and the Pakistani government to get this individual back home.
“One of those meetings was during the stage three vote.
“Let me be unequivocal about it – if I was there I would have voted for it. That was well known at the time.”
But former minister Alex Neil has claimed Mr Yousaf’s meeting could have been rearranged.
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‘Will of Scotland will not be denied’
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One of Mr Yousaf’s rivals, Kate Forbes, a practising Christian, has said she does not believe in sex outside marriage.
“In terms of my faith, my faith would say that sex is for marriage and that’s the approach that I would practice,” she told Sky News.
She also said transgender double rapist Isla Bryson “is a man” and she does not support making it easier for people aged 16 and 17 to change gender – something that was in the Scottish government’s Gender Recognition Reform Bill.
That bill has been blocked by the UK government.
Mr Yousaf said: “I think Bryson is at it to be honest,” adding he doesn’t think they are a “true trans woman”.
He added: “I think they’re trying to play the system for personal advantage.”
The third candidate is Ash Regan, who resigned in protest at Nicola Sturgeon’s gender legislation.
A 53-year-old man has been charged after a car was driven into a crowd at Liverpool FC’s trophy parade.
Paul Doyle, from the West Derby area of Liverpool, has been charged with seven offences, Merseyside Police said.
The businessman, who is a father-of-three, is accused of two counts of unlawful and malicious wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and two counts of causing unlawful and malicious grievous bodily harm with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
Paul Doyle
Doyle is also accused of two counts of attempted unlawful and malicious grievous bodily harm with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and one count of dangerous driving.
He is due to appear before Liverpool Magistrates Court on Friday.
The charges relate to six people, including two children. A wounding charge and an attempted grievous bodily harm charge relate to a child.
A police car was outside Doyle’s four-bedroom detached family home in the West Derby area on Thursday morning.
According to his social media, he has travelled extensively including Japan, Fiji, India and Australia. Doyle has posted pictures of himself competing in triathlons, and climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.
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New Liverpool incident footage
Thousands of fans were gathered in Liverpool city centre on Monday to celebrate the Premier League champions’ title win when a car struck a crowd on Water Street.
Police said a total of 79 people were injured in the incident, with the youngest aged nine, and the oldest being a 78-year-old.
Seven people remain in hospital in a stable condition.
Forensic officers at the scene in Water Street. Pic: PA
‘Huge volume of evidence’
Chief crown prosecutor for the CPS Mersey-Cheshire, Sarah Hammond, told a news conference on Thursday that the investigation was at an early stage and a “huge volume of evidence” was being reviewed.
“This includes multiple pieces of video footage and numerous witness statements. It is important to ensure that every victim gets the justice they deserve.
“The charges will be kept under review as the investigation progresses.”
Police ‘working tirelessly’
Also at the briefing where the charges were announced was Assistant Chief Constable of Merseyside Police, Jenny Sims, who said: “I fully understand how this incident has left us all shocked and saddened, and I know many will continue to have concerns and questions.
“Our detectives are working tirelessly, with diligence and professionalism, to seek the answer to all of those questions. When we are able to, we will provide further information.”
The youngest victim injured in the Liverpool parade crash on Monday is nine years old, police have said.
They added that the oldest is 78, with all 79 people injured understood to be British. Seven remain in hospital in a stable condition.
Merseyside Police declined to say what drug the 53-year-old man arrested over the incident is alleged to have taken.
“We wouldn’t go into this detail at this stage of the investigation,” the force said.
Police at the scene in Liverpool. Pic: AP
Forensic officers in Water Street. Pic: PA
Police are still questioning the driver and were granted further time to do so on Wednesday.
Officers have until Thursday evening to question the man from West Derby.
He is in custody on suspicion of attempted murder, dangerous driving and drug driving.
Police believe the car which struck pedestrians was able to follow an ambulance crew attending to someone suffering a heart attack after a road block was temporarily lifted.
Hundreds of thousands of Liverpool fans had turned out to celebrate their team’s Premier League title when the incident unfolded on Water Street just after 6pm on Monday.
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‘My boy in his pram, got bounced’
‘The best day of my life turned into worst’
Sky News interviewed a lifelong Liverpool fan who said his five-month-old son was “bounced” 15ft (4.6m) in his pram after they were hit by the vehicle.
The child was not counted in the police’s injury tally.
Daniel Eveson, 36, also said his partner had been driven over.
“The best day of my life turned into [the] worst,” Mr Eveson said.
He added: “Me and my partner were flat on the roof, on the bonnet… we were just both trying to hold on for dear life with Ted next to us.
“And my partner went under the wheels of the car, of the front of the car, and it rolled over her leg, and I just bounced off to the side, but my boy and his pram got bounced totally in the opposite direction – about 15ft down the road.”
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Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer travelled to Liverpool to meet with police chiefs and the local metro mayor.
He said he was being kept informed of developments, adding: “The scenes on Monday were just awful, to see how incredible joy at an amazing achievement turned to horror in a moment.”
Messages of support have been sent to the people of Liverpool, including from the King who said: “I know that the strength of community spirit for which your city is renowned will be a comfort and support to those in need.”
The Prince and Princess of Wales said they were “deeply saddened” by the incident.
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