What’s lurking behind Humza Yousaf’s Sturgeon tribute act?

Humza Yousaf’s programme for government — Holyrood’s duller, drabber answer to the King’s Speech — was mostly a Nicola Sturgeon tribute act. Heavy focus on social and cultural issues. Lots of leftish-sounding buzzwords (‘progressive’, ‘equality’, ‘diversity’) but nothing truly transformative. Still, just because the SNP leader’s speech and the legislative agenda attached were retreads of his predecessor’s era, it doesn’t mean this programme should be overlooked. In fact, there are a number of provisions that are worth keeping an eye on. 

First up is one of the most disputed pieces of legislation ever produced by the Scottish parliament, one authored by Yousaf in his former role as Sturgeon’s justice minister: the Hate Crime and Public Order Act 2021. The legislation has been in limbo for the past two years, on the statute books but not yet implemented. An accompanying document to the programme for government makes clear implementation will now move forward.