Britain | Uphill task

Labour is the big beneficiary of Scottish political turmoil

Humza Yousaf’s successor will face a gigantic task

 People have marched in support of Scottish independence in Edinburgh.
Photograph: Horst Friedrichs/Anzenberger/Eyevine

“INDEPENDENCE feels frustratingly close,” said Humza Yousaf, the outgoing leader of the Scottish National Party (snp) and first minister of Scotland, as he announced his resignation on April 29th. The comment captured Mr Yousaf’s personal limitations: secession is, in fact, as distant a prospect now as it has been at any time since Scots voted against it in a referendum in 2014. As such, it is a reminder of the SNP’s need to find fresh purpose.

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This article appeared in the Britain section of the print edition under the headline “Uphill task”

From the May 4th 2024 edition

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