First Minister Humza Yousaf describes UK as the ‘poor man of northwest Europe’ in independence speech

Published

2 years ago

January 8, 2024

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First Minister Humza Yousaf described the UK is the “poor man of northwest Europe” as he set out his views on industrial policy in an independent Scotland.

In a speech at the University of Glasgow on Monday, he pledged “large scale” investment in competitive industries after independence, but said any economic transition would not take place overnight and he was not promising “rivers of milk and honey”.

Mr Yousaf gave his speech a few hours after Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar spoke in Rutherglen about the upcoming general election and urged independence supporters to back his party in 2024.

The first minister said he would strive towards a “deliberative process” in trying to persuade people on the merits of Scottish independence and those who believe otherwise should not be “dismissed”.

The SNP leader referred to a report from the Resolution Foundation looking at income inequality in the UK compared with other countries.

He said that the average household would be £8,300 better off if the UK had the average income inequality of similar countries.

Using the same analysis for Scotland, Mr Yousaf said: “The prize for the typical Scottish household would be even greater, they would be £10,200 better off.

“That then, is the huge prize of independence.”

Mr Yousaf said the UK’s living standards are “abnormally low” and the country is the “poor man of northwest Europe”.

He added: “Far too many people in Scotland [and] right across the UK are losing hope.

“They look at Westminster and they see no one that is offering them a different choice.

“Just more of the same decline, but perhaps managed more competently than the current Tory government.”

Taking questions, he said the economic changes in an independent Scotland would not happen overnight.

He said: “I’m not selling independence as being an overnight change, that somehow the day after we become independent there will be rivers of milk and honey and the manna will fall from the sky.

“There will be challenges, of course, there will be difficulties. It will be a transitional process.”

In contrast, he said the UK’s economic problems are “hardwired, it’s systemic”.

He also said “Keir Starmer is going to be the next prime minister of the United Kingdom barring a catastrophe”.

Earlier in the day, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said the SNP and Tories will resort to “dirty tricks” to cling to power at Holyrood and Westminster.

Mr Sarwar hailed 2024 as “the year of change” with the general election, which is almost certain to take place before 2025, providing Labour with the “chance to change our country for the better”.

His comments came as he made a direct pitch to independence supporters, saying: “We may ultimately disagree on the final destination for Scotland.

“But on this part of the journey, let us unite to change our country and get rid of this Tory government.”

Mr Sarwar promised a Labour government would “reset devolution and take it back to its founding principles”, telling supporters that the “endless, childish squabbles between both two bad governments must come to an end”.

He also stressed the upcoming general election was “just the first step”, saying that there was also a “chance for change in 2026 with a Scottish Parliament election”.

This, he said, gave Labour the chance to form a “competent government” at Holyrood, as he insisted: “Devolution was never meant to be about two governments fighting with each other and ultimately failing Scots.

“Devolution was always meant to be about Scottish solutions to Scottish problems and two governments working together in the national interest to actually deliver for Scotland.”

UK

Two children and a woman die after shooting in Northern Ireland

Published

8 hours ago

July 23, 2025

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Two children and a woman die after shooting in Northern Ireland

Two children and a woman have died in a shooting in County Fermanagh, police have said.

Two people were killed in the shooting on Wednesday morning, and a third, who was seriously injured, died in hospital in the afternoon.

A fourth person, a man, was seriously injured in the shooting in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland.

All victims were from the same household, Superintendent Robert McGowan, district commander for Fermanagh and Omagh, said at a news conference.

Police have cordoned off the scene in the village of Maguiresbridge, about 75 miles (120km) southwest of Belfast.

“We can advise there is no ongoing risk to the public,” a Police Service of Northern Ireland spokesperson said.

There was no mention of a motive behind the shooting.

A murder investigation has been launched, with enquiries being at an early stage.

Supt McGowan said at the news conference that police don’t anticipate any arrests being made at this stage.

Emergency services were called to the Drummeer Road area of the village at around 8am on Wednesday following a report raised from the property, Supt McGowan said.

Two people were found dead at the scene, and two others seriously injured.

One patient was taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, by air ambulance and the other to South West Acute Hospital by ambulance. Supt McGowan said the third person died at the South West Acute Hospital.

Drummeer Road is currently closed, police said, warning that this could lead to delays on alternative roads.

Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn said: “The news from Maguiresbridge is tragic and deeply distressing.

“My thoughts are with the victims, their relatives and the local community in Fermanagh. I would urge the public not to speculate and to allow the PSNI to continue their investigation.”

Sinn Fein MP Pat Cullen has expressed her deep shock over the shooting, saying: “Firstly, my thoughts are with the victims and their families at this tragic time.”

DUP MLA Deborah Erskine, who represents the area in the Northern Ireland Assembly, said that the community was “stunned” by the shooting in “a rural, quiet area”.

“Everyone is deeply affected by what has happened this morning,” she said.

UK

Five ‘dangerous’ gang members guilty of murdering boy and man at music video shoot

Published

11 hours ago

July 23, 2025

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Five 'dangerous' gang members guilty of murdering boy and man at music video shoot

Five “violent” and “dangerous” gang members have been found guilty of murdering a boy and a young man at a music video shoot in a north London estate.

The men had gone to the Elthorne Estate in Archway “with the intention of killing anyone they could”, the Metropolitan Police said.

And the group mistook those they attacked for rival gang members.

Lorik Lupqi, 21; Jason Furtado, 28; Abel Chunda, 29; Xavier Poponne, 22; and Eden Clark, 31, were convicted of murdering 15-year-old Leonardo Reid and 23-year-old Klevi Shekaj and attempting to murder 28-year-old Abdullah Abdullahi.

Leonardo and Mr Shekaj were fatally stabbed and Mr Abdullahi was badly hurt when knifemen descended on the event on the night of 29 June 2023.

Leonardo and his brother had been watching a music video being filmed with friends.

Police said Lupqi, a gang member from Islington, saw the gathering at around 8.30pm and took it as an opportunity to hurt those he thought were gang opponents.

He messaged his girlfriend stating that “opps were outside”. She advised him to remain inside, but Lupqi decided to contact his close friend and gang associate Jason Furtado.

They formed a plan and recruited gang members Chunda, Clark and Poponne to travel to the estate.

Lupqi had booked a taxi to pick up the three men from the area of Furtado’s home address in Canonbury, north London, telling the cab firm: “I’m in a little bit of a rush,” the jury heard.

They had worn masks and were armed as they went to the Elthorne Estate where they met Lupqi, the court was told.

By the time they arrived, the filming had ended, and most people had left, but some local children and teenagers remained in the area.

The group then carried out their deadly attack.

The alarm was raised as a black-clad figure wearing a balaclava was spotted crouching down and moving towards Leonardo, his brother and others, with a large knife.

Three more males in black stood up from where they had been hiding behind cars as they edged towards the group, the court was told.

Leonardo was stabbed in the chest, with the wound cutting through his left lung and one of the major blood vessels in his body, causing fatal blood loss.

Leonardo’s brother had run away from the scene but later looped back and saw his sibling lying motionless on the ground, the court heard.

Mr Shekaj was stabbed in the back, with the wound cutting through his left lung and deep into his body.

He was driven to Whittington Hospital by members of the public but he died on arrival.

Detective Inspector Jim Barry said: “These violent men went into this estate with the intention of killing anyone they could, under the false impression that those there were rival gang members.

“This was a senseless, violent act which has shattered the lives of so many, especially Leonardo and Klevi’s loved ones.

“This dangerous group of men will now spend a long time behind bars but the effect of what they did will be felt by the victim’s shattered families for longer.”

The five killers will appear at the same court on 25 and 26 September for sentencing.

UK

Third person dies after shooting in Northern Ireland

Published

11 hours ago

July 23, 2025

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A third person has died in a shooting in Co Fermanagh, police have said.

Two people were killed in the shooting on Wednesday morning, and a third, who was seriously injured, died in the afternoon.

A fourth person was seriously injured in the shooting in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland.

All victims were from the same household, Superintendent Robert McGowan, District Commander for Fermanagh and Omagh, said at a news conference.

They have cordoned off the scene in the village of Maguiresbridge, about 75 miles (120km) southwest of Belfast.

“We can advise there is no ongoing risk to the public,” a Police Service of Northern Ireland spokesperson said.

There was no mention of a motive behind the shooting.

A murder investigation has been launched.

Supt McGowan said at the news conference that police don’t anticipate any arrests to be made at this stage.

Emergency services were called to the shooting in the Drummeer Road area of the village at around 8am on Wednesday, a spokesperson for the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service said.

They confirmed that two people had been injured.

“Following assessment and initial treatment at scene, one patient has been taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, by air ambulance and another to South West Acute Hospital by ambulance,” the spokesperson added.

Drummeer Road is currently closed, police said, warning that this could lead to delays on alternative roads.

Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn said: “The news from Maguiresbridge is tragic and deeply distressing.

“My thoughts are with the victims, their relatives and the local community in Fermanagh. I would urge the public not to speculate and to allow the PSNI to continue their investigation.”

Sinn Fein MP Pat Cullen has expressed her deep shock over the shooting, saying: “Firstly, my thoughts are with the victims and their families at this tragic time.”

DUP MLA Deborah Erskine, who represents the area in the Northern Ireland Assembly, said that the community was “stunned” by the shooting in “a rural, quiet area.”

“Everyone is deeply affected by what has happened this morning,” she said.