The SNP’s transport, net zero and just transition secretary claimed that world leaders have been “lining up” to seek advice from Humza Yousaf and his government. Mairi McAllan, 30, made the “bold claim” at Holyrood last week, which quickly backfired on the SNP.
Ms McAllan was repeatedly asked to specify the world leaders but she declined to name any of the mystery figures. She simply said that several leaders had sought out the SNP at the recent Cop28 climate change conference for “advice on how we have managed to lead the way so successfully on a number of fronts”.
Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross used the opportunity to highlight SNP crises with a series of tongue-in-cheek questions in Holyrood this week.
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Referencing a litany of recent high-profile SNP scandals, Mr Ross goaded Mr Yousaf by asking: “Has Justin Trudeau been on the phone looking for a camper van?
“Maybe it’s Emmanuel Macron calling the health secretary to hear how to stream the Celtic match from Morocco? Maybe, maybe it’s Joe Biden asking for advice how to deal with a disastrous predecessor at the heart of a criminal investigation?
“I don’t know, it could have been any of those things.”
Mr Ross said the world leaders would not have been asking the SNP “how to build ferries or how to run an education system”.
He continued “And they definitely won’t have been asking Humza Yousaf for economic advice because he’s making hard-working Scots pick up the bill for his mistakes.”
The scathing remarks came as Mr Ross also picked apart the Scottish First Minister over a new tax threshold announced this week.
The tax announcement means that those earning more than £75,000 will have to pay a rate of 45 percent.
Scotland already had the highest tax band in the UK at 47 percent for people earning more than £125,000 – which rises to 48 percent next year.
Veteran broadcaster Andrew Neil had a go at poking fun at the SNP’s boast, posting on social media: “Let’s play Scottish fantasy politics. Which world leaders have contacted the SNP government in Edinburgh?
“On what issues did they seek SNP counsel? On what matters did they consider Scotland Gov leading the way? Who changed their policy as a result of SNP ‘advice’?
“Answers on a postcard (you won’t need a big one) to: Fantasyland, Holyrood Numpty Nursery, Edinburgh.”
