RISHI Sunak has responded to Humza Yousaf’s resignation by urging his successor not to focus on Scottish independence.

The Prime Minister weighed in on Yousaf’s announcement on Monday that he was stepping down after he threw his government into disarray by abandoning his Green partners.

In a statement reported by the BBC, Sunak said whoever replaces Yousaf must not be “obsessed” with independence and focus on “day-to-day issues” such as the economy and the NHS.


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He said: “What the Scottish people deserve and need is a government in Scotland that is focused on what they care about.

“That’s day-to-day issues with the economy, the NHS and schools, not a government that is obsessed with things like independence and gender recognition as the last SNP government was. That’s not right.”

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Scottish Secretary Alister Jack also welcomed the news Yousaf was stepping down.

He said: “It was the right thing for the First Minister to resign. Humza Yousaf’s leadership has lurched from crisis to crisis from the very start, and he could not command the confidence of the Scottish Parliament.

“Scotland now needs a stable, functioning Scottish Government focused on the issues that matter most to people - fixing public services and growing the economy.”