Jews and other people being discriminated against should respond with a firm “f*** you” to the haters, Scotland’s First Minister has said.
Humza Yousaf, the SNP leader, insisted people needed the confidence to fight back against bigotry.
Speaking at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival with Matt Forde, Scotland's first Muslim first minister admitted it was an "uncomfortable message" and "not first ministerial language" but sometimes appropriate.
The Glasgow MSP said: “This is maybe an uncomfortable message for some, but I’ve spent most of my political life being told by mainly middle-aged white Conservatives, both in politics and frankly some in the media, that I’m not smart, I’m out of my depth.
“Essentially saying you don’t belong here in the political realm.
“And, yeah, I hope that any other person, whether it’s your colour, whether it’s your gender, or whether it’s your background, if you get told ‘actually you don’t belong here’, you should, kind of look at me, and say: ‘f*** you’.
“It’s not first ministerial language, but you should say, You know what, I do belong here. Because you very much do.
“This is your country, and whatever field you’re working in you should absolutely have confidence that you’re able to achieve the highest level.”
Yousaf also said that he recognised there was a lot of diversity in Scotland that hadn’t yet made it through to the political ranks, including having a first Jewish member of the Scottish Parliament.
The Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh (Photo: Getty)
He said: “We have never had a single Black member of the Scottish Parliament ever. I don’t think we’ve ever had a single Jewish member of the Scottish Parliament. If I’m wrong, I’m happy to be corrected.
“There’s a lot of diversity that just hasn’t come through our political ranks just yet in Scotland but I genuinely hope that people can look at me and say, you know what, because you’ve made it it makes us feel any of us can make it, which is a bit of inspiration I hope I can give.”
Yousaf, who was privately educated at Hutchesons’ Grammar in Glasgow, also said that class was also a barrier.
He stressed: “How do we make politics as accessible to those that do not have the privilege that I have had growing up?”
The Scottish First Minister also revealed that he sought counselling and has "struggled with his mental health" since succeeding Nicola Sturgeon earlier this year.
He said: "I've struggled at times with my mental health in this job.
"One of the best things I ever did was getting some counselling in 2016 [while transport minister].
“Your mental health can take a real hit in this job so you have got to be at your best. You have got to do well physically and that helps you with your mental health."
