Yousaf the Yes Man may not be SNP leader for long

His politics are all about performative wish-fulfilment: you say what you wish and I’ll pretend to deliver it.

 A win is a win is a win as the SNP establishment put it yesterday trying to make large out of Humza Yousaf’s tiny victory in the most contentious SNP leadership election in 25 years.  And yes he will win the keys to Bute House. He is the first BAME politician to do so - if we are still allowed to use the term. However, Yousaf may not be occupying it for very long. He has set himself up to fail on key issues. With an indifferent mandate from a deeply divided party, Yousaf is a lame duck First Minister even before he assumes office.

His first pronouncement was to promise to get that Section 30 Order from Westminster authorising a repeat referendum on independence “within hours” of his installation as First Minister. Yes, the one Nicola Sturgeon failed to secure in 8 years of trying.  Who does he think he is that he can deliver what his celebrated predecessor could not?  What is the magic ingredient that’ll make Rishi Sunak turn round and say - well since it’s you, Humza, how can we refuse.

He has also done a double u-turn on the Gender Recognition Reform Bill. Last week he seemed to be backing away from a kami kazi assault on the UK Supreme Court over the Section 35 block on the GRR Bill imposed by the UK government in January.  He said that “of course” he would listen to the legal advice on the likelihood of success in overturning S35 and would not proceed with a court challenge if advised that it would be futile. We pretty much know what the legal advice is likely to be because the UK Scottish Secretary Alister Jack spelled it out in January. And as I’ll explain, it is futile.