Yousaf forced to apologise to top lawyer over 'Tory f***wit' jibe

Humza Yousaf has made a humiliating apology to one of Scotland’s top lawyers after branding him a ‘Tory f******’.

The former First Minister attacked Roddy Dunlop KC, the Dean of the Faculty of Advocates, in a private WhatsApp message during the Covid pandemic.

Mr Yousaf, who said he ‘regrets’ the language used, telephoned him to apologise after learning the comment was about to be made public yesterday.

Mr Yousaf was Scotland’s health secretary when he wrote the message to then national clinical director Professor Jason Leitch around 11pm on 31 May 2021.

Earlier that day, Mr Dunlop and Prof Leitch had a minor Twitter spat about plans for a 3000 capacity ‘fan zone’ in Glasgow for the delayed Euro 2020 championship.

Mr Yousaf wrote: ‘Dunlop is a Tory f******. Remember Twitter isn’t real life!’

Although private at the time, the obscene message has now been released as part of a tranche of WhatsApps conversations under freedom of information law.

It was reported for the first time yesterday by the Scotsman.

Mr Dunlop said Mr Yousaf called him after being approached by the paper.

He said: ‘I know Humza well, having worked closely with him when he was cabinet secretary for justice.

‘He contacted me this morning to apologise, and I have no difficulty in accepting his apology. No offence is taken and, on the contrary, I actually find this quite amusing.’

A spokesman for Mr Yousaf said: ‘The emergency phase of Covid, in particular, was a stressful, emotive and high-pressured time for everyone.

‘These messages were intended to be private communications between two colleagues.

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‘Notwithstanding this, Humza regrets the language used, particularly given the professional and personal respect he has for Roddy Dunlop KC.’

Previously released Covid-era WhatsApp messages show then First Minister Nicola Sturgeon called prime minister Boris Johnson a ‘f****** clown’ in October 2020.

While Prof Leitch, who stood down as clinical director earlier this year, privately called Labour MSP Daniel Johnson “a smarta***” and accused Tory MSP Sir Edward Mountain of ‘harrumphing like a child’ during a briefing for politicians in 2021.

Mr Yousaf’s Covid-era WhatsApp messages have proved controversial before.

Shortly after he was appointed health secretary in 2021, he joked to Prof Leitch that he was ‘winging it! And will get found out sooner rather than later’, followed by a laughing emoji.

He also called then Labour MSP Neil Findlay a ‘t***’ and an ‘a*******’.

Other messages released by the Covid-19 Inquiry showed then First Minister Nicola Sturgeon called prime minister Boris Johnson a ‘f****** clown’ in October 2020.

While Prof Leitch, who stood down as clinical director earlier this year, privately called Labour MSP Daniel Johnson “a smarta**e” and accused Tory MSP Sir Edward Mountain of ‘harrumphing like a child’ during a briefing for politicians in 2021.

Mr Yousaf, who was forced to resign in April after just 14 months in Bute House, has admitted to a series of other mistakes since leaving office.

Speaking on the Edinburgh Fringe in August, he said he ‘f***** up’ over how he ended the joint government deal with the Scottish Greens.

The way he sacked his two Green ministers triggered his downfall.

More recently, he admitted bungling his first cabinet, alienating former finance secretary Kate Forbes by offering her the agriculture brief, leading to her quitting the government.

He also failed to anticipate how ruthless an opponent Ms Forbes would be in the SNP leadership contest of 2023, when she savaged his record in the first TV hustings.

Ms Forbes suggested he was a ‘mediocrity’ who would let down the country.

A spokesman for Mr Yousaf said: ‘The emergency phase of Covid, in particular, was a stressful, emotive and high-pressured time for everyone.

‘These messages were intended to be private communications between two colleagues.

‘Notwithstanding this, Humza regrets the language used, particularly given the professional and personal respect he has for Roddy Dunlop KC.’