First Minister has 'little to show' in his first year, says Rishi Sunak

Humza Yousaf has lost in the courts and in politics and is losing support, say Scottish Tories. Photo: Jane Barlow/PA Wire

Rishi Sunak said Humza Yousaf had «little to show» for being First Minister for almost a year.

The Prime Minister said the most Memorable moments in Yousaf's short tenure included Michael Matheson's departure over his £11,000 roaming charge Bill and his overall defeat in court over Nicola Sturgeon's gender identity laws.

He criticized Mr Yousaf for focusing on independence since he took over from Ms Sturgeon in March last year, claiming it was a «distraction». ” from his domestic responsibilities such as schools and hospitals.

In the program for next week's Scottish Conservative conference in Aberdeen, Mr Sunak also criticized the Scottish National Party and Labor Party for failing to support the oil and gas industry North Sea.

The energy sector employs tens of thousands of energy workers. North East Scotland and the Tories are hoping to make gains in the region in the upcoming general election.

Industry leaders have reacted with hostility to Sir Keir Starmer's plans to increase the North Sea windfall tax from 75 per cent to 78 per cent and extend it until 2029. Both the SNP and Labor also expressed opposition to licensing new fields.

Rishi Sunak backs the Scottish Tories ahead of their annual conference in Aberdeen Photo: JESSICA TAYLOR/UK PARLIAMENT/AFP

Douglas Ross said «every seat» in north-east Scotland would be a «straight fight» between the Tories and Humza Yousaf's SNP

In the foreword to his programme, the Scottish Conservative leader told his party members: “With your help we can turn around what has been a bad or terrible night for the SNP and reach key constituencies across the country.”

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Mr Matheson resigned as health secretary on February 8, three months after The Telegraph reported he received a phone bill totaling £10,935.74 during a family holiday in Morocco.

He then demanded money from the state treasury, arguing that he was handling the affairs of the constituency. He made no apology for his actions in his resignation letter and is entitled to a £12,712 severance package from the public purse.

In December, a senior judge ruled that Mr Sunak's government had acted lawfully in blocking the controversial the Scottish National Party's gender recognition initiative. The GRR Bill was passed amid concerns that it would undermine protections for women across the UK.

It would allow Scots to change their legal gender simply by signing a statutory declaration, without any medical gender diagnosis dysphoria, and was cancelled. age limit — 16 years.