Resurrecting Scotland’s gender law battle is an error for Humza Yousaf

Humza Yousaf’s decision to challenge the British government in court over Scottish gender laws is a tactical play. And yet it confirms just how little the new First Minister knows about tactics.

Yousaf is having a terrible old time of it. Almost half of SNP members voted against him becoming leader. He has stuffed his government with loyalists: just one of his 27 ministers endorsed his leadership rival. The SNP’s finances are under police investigation, former chief executive Peter Murrell was arrested, the home he shares with Nicola Sturgeon raided by officers, and Yousaf only just learned that his party’s auditors quit months ago. (Neither Murrell nor anyone else has been charged with any offence.)

This seems an apt moment to push the Brit-bashing button. Ordinarily, a messy court battle that pits plucky little Scotland against the big, bad bullies at Westminster might distract attention from internal SNP woes.