Elon Musk accuses Scotland's First Minister of being a 'blatant racist' sparking social media pile-on

27 October 2023, 12:35 | Updated: 27 October 2023, 12:36

By Gina Davidson

@ginadavidsonlbc

Billionaire Elon Musk has accused Humza Yousaf of being a "blatant racist", sparking a social media pile-on of Scotland's First Minister.

The owner of X made the accusation to his 161 million followers in response to an anonymous account which had posted an old video of a speech given when Humza Yousaf was Scotland's Justice Secretary.

But in his response, Humza Yousaf attempted to laugh it off, posting a tweet in which he said "racists" were "foaming at the mouth at my very existence", including a GIF from Scottish comedy series Still Game, with much-loved Asian shopkeeper Navid dancing in his store.

Mr Yousaf's speech in June 2020 in the address to the Scottish Parliament, came after global protests following the murder of George Floyd when he listed examples showing the lack of ethnic diversity in the highest echelons of Scotland's governing bodies, especially the justice system.

He said everyone was "white" from the Lord Advocate to the head of the Law Society, as well as every prison governor and every senior police officer at assistant chief constable level and above.

He also pointed to the chief medical and nursing officers being white, and said almost every trade union was "headed by people who are white" as was every director general in the Scottish Government and "every chair of every public body."

The footage has since been used by his critics to claim he’s bigoted.

His speech was part of a Scottish Parliament session titled 'Solidarity with Anti-racism' in which Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar also raised issues about a lack of diversity in the same positions, as well as in schools and media organisations.

He asked: "Is it because we don't have the talent? Is it because we don't have the ability? Or is it because the opportunity doesn't exist, or, worse yet, is it because people don't think they're wanted, or they're not welcome? That's what we should be fundamentally addressing."

In his speech, Humza Yousaf, also said: "We have to accept the reality and the evidence that is in front of us, that Scotland has a problem of structural racism" and that "in 99 per cent of their meetings I go to, I am the only non-white person in the room."

He then said: "But why are we so surprised when the most senior positions in Scotland are filled almost exclusively by those who are white?"

According to the 2011 census, Scotland's ethnic make-up is 96 per cent white, and 2.6 per cent Asian, Asian Scottish or Asian British. When other ethnicities including Caribbean or Black, Mixed or Other raises that percentage to 4 per cent.

A spokesperson for the First Minister said: "The First Minister has been on the receiving end of racist hate, abuse and death threats his entire life, and has stood firm against hatred and bigotry, of any kind, throughout.

"Sadly, much of the racist abuse and threats of violence the First Minister faces are directed his way on X - formerly known as Twitter.

"Mr Musk should use his position to tackle racism and hatred that goes unchecked on the social media platform he owns."