Yousaf rejects invitation to appear before Westminster committee

Humza Yousaf will not appear before Westminster’s Scottish Affairs Committee, he has said in a letter to its convener.

The First Minister was invited alongside all of his predecessors to appear before the panel to discuss relations between the Scottish and UK governments during their time in office.

Henry McLeish, Jack McConnell, Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon have all agreed to appear, but Mr Yousaf said his commitments as First Minister do not allow him the time to do so.

In a letter to convener Pete Wishart, Mr Yousaf said: “Unfortunately, due to my extensive commitments as First Minister, I am unable to accept the invitation to appear before the committee.

“As the committee is aware, I am accountable to the Scottish Parliament for the decisions and actions of the Scottish Government.

“Sessions such as weekly First Minister’s Questions and my evidence sessions with the Scottish Parliament Conveners Group are an important feature of my commitment to ensuring that the Parliament can fully discharge its essential scrutiny function.”

Mr Yousaf said Constitution Secretary Angus Robertson has accepted an invitation to appear before the committee in March.

Responding, Mr Wishart said: “It’s disappointing that the First Minister isn’t able to give evidence to the committee, citing a similar outlook to previous serving first ministers – that his primary responsibility, while in office, is to the Scottish Parliament.

“The invitation remains open if Mr Yousaf’s availability changes.”

Before leaving office, Ms Sturgeon caused consternation in the committee when she declined an invitation to appear, also citing a full diary.

She did appear on ITV’s Loose Women and gave a speech to the Royal Society of Arts in her final weeks as first minister last year.

Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross, who is also a member of the committee, said: “Humza Yousaf was Nicola Sturgeon’s continuity candidate for First Minister and his disappointing snub to the Scottish Affairs Committee shows he’s all too happy to follow in her footsteps.

“Given his criticism of all things Westminster, I would have thought he would have relished the chance to air his views to the committee.

“However, he clearly is not up for being grilled on how his Government are completely failing the people of Scotland on so many issues due to being distracted by their obsession with separating Scotland from the rest of the UK.

“The idea that he is too busy shows utter contempt to MPs of all parties – including his colleagues in the SNP – and is an excuse that simply will not wash with the public.”