Scotland's First Minister, Humza Yousaf, has extended an offer to hold discussions with Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer about potential collaboration in the event of a Labour victory in the next

general election. Yousaf expressed confidence in the Scottish National Party's (SNP) ability to secure the most seats in Scotland, foreseeing Starmer as the inevitable prime minister.

During an interview on the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg show, Yousaf stated that he was open to working with a Labour government, emphasizing areas of potential cooperation while acknowledging inevitable disagreements, particularly on constitutional matters. Yousaf invited Starmer to Edinburgh for discussions, signaling a willingness to find common ground.

Responding to queries about potential policy collaboration, Yousaf suggested that Labour commit to eliminating the two-child benefit limit, a move that could uplift 250,000 children out of poverty across the UK, including 15,000 children in Scotland. He also proposed scrapping the bedroom tax, emphasizing the importance of joint efforts to address these issues.

Yousaf highlighted Starmer's lead in the polls and asserted that Scotland's support was not a necessity for him to win. He urged voters to back the SNP to "wipe the Tories off the map" in Scotland, emphasizing the party's commitment to independence.

Addressing the question of another Scottish independence referendum, Yousaf rejected the notion that it would not happen soon, expressing his desire for the SNP to win the general election to send a strong message to Westminster that Scotland cannot be ignored.

Defending Scotland's progressive tax system, Yousaf refuted Conservative claims that it burdens Scottish taxpayers. He emphasized the importance of asking the top 5% of earners to contribute more to fund policies such as free university education and childcare services, aligning with the SNP's commitment to prioritizing public services over tax cuts for the wealthy.

In response to Yousaf's statements, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar criticized the SNP's messaging on voting, describing it as "completely chaotic." Sarwar emphasized the importance of believing in the potential for electoral shifts and rejected the idea that Scottish votes do not matter.

Scottish Conservative party chairman Craig Hoy urged the SNP to shift focus from independence to addressing the economy and public services, asserting that the high-tax regime is detrimental to competitiveness and risks driving away key workers. Photo by Scottish Government, Wikimedia commons.