Laura Kuenssberg grills Humza Yousaf on Scottish Independence

       Humza Yousaf was left stunned after Laura Kuenssberg subjected him to a brutal assessment of both his government’s failings, and the reality of his Scottish independence dreams.

       Mr Yousaf sat down with the BBC interviewer, after a bruising week for the SNP that saw them embroiled in the Post office scandal and exposed for deleting vital WhatsApp messages from during the pandemic.

       Ms Kuenssberg demanded to know whether Mr Yousaf accepts he’s not going to get another independence referendum. She listed all the failed independence promises given to voters by the SNP in recent years.

       “You promised it to voters in 2017, didn’t happen; in 2019 you promised again, it didn’t happen; in 2022, the Supreme Court said you don’t have the power to make it happen again.

       READ MORE: Humza Yousaf admits SNP facing 'most difficult time' and hints at huge change

       Ms Kuenssberg tore into the SNP's record (Image: BBC)

       “Do you accept independence and another referendum are just not going to happen anytime soon?”

       Mr Yousaf stumbled over his answer, saying he doesn’t accept the BBC star’s observation.

       He argued the SNP have to win the general election in Scotland to create the political conditions for a second referendum, and send Westminster a message that Scotland cannot be ignored.

       However on this point, Ms Kuenssberg jumped in and pointed out SNP support “has been sliding”. She added: “You know you’re on track to lose seats!”

       Mr Yousaf didn’t deny this, instead saying that support for independence, rather than the SNP, hasn’t been sliding.

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       Mr Yousaf struggled to answer the challenge (Image: BBC)

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       The SNP’s polling lead has slipped from around 30 percent in May 2020 to low single figures, even tying with Labour in five polls since June last year. In November, Labour recorded its first poll lead in Scotland since 2014, overtaking the SNP by two points.

       Mr Yousaf argued that Keir Starmer is certain to be the UK’s next Prime Minister, and given his strong national poll lead over the Tories, voters in Scotland could freely vote for the SNP without risking a Conservative Government in Westminster.

       Laura Kuenssberg wasn’t finished delivering hammer blows to Mr Yousaf, however, tearing apart the SNP’s record in Government. She cited one leading Scottish businessman who has slammed the SNP’s new higher tax rates, and making it more expensive to do business north of the border.

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       “Despite those decisions that you’ve made, there are still significant problems in Scottish public services, real problems with waiting lists and you’ve mentioned education…”

       “During the SNP’s tenure, Scottish schools have slipped back in the well-respected PISA ratings quite significantly, and Scottish schools and the education Scottish kids get is now behind the education that English children are getting.

       Asked whether he’s proud of that record, Mr Yousaf claimed it was just “one part of the story”, and cited progress on reducing illiteracy and numeracy, but confessed it “isn’t good enough”.

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       However Ms Kuenssberg launched another brutal assault, pointing out the SNP have been in charge of health, education and many other areas for 17 years.

       “On many different measures, the record does not look pretty. And in a way, there’s a real parallel between the SNP and what’s happening with the Conservatives across the UK.

       “You’ve been in power for a long time, a lot of things seem to be going the wrong way, your popularity has slid back, and there’s a thing about incumbency where people look and think ‘well they’re out of ideas’.”

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