Humza Yousaf has accused Kate Forbes of leaving SNP members "angry and hurt" by attacking the party's record in government. The Health Secretary, speaking on a campaign visit in Irvine today, was reacting to last night's stormy leadership debate on STV.
Forbes, the Finance Secretary, questioned whether her Cabinet colleague was fit to replace Nicola Sturgeon as First Minister given "the trains were never on time" when he served as Transport Minister. She also suggested that if she won the SNP leadership race she would not reappoint Yousaf to the health brief.
Forbes' comments sparked fury among many Nationalists who saw it as a direct attack on the Scottish Government. Asked by the Record if Forbes had damaged the government's reputation, Yousaf said: "I have said from day one that my campaign will be a positive one.
"If anyone goes low, we'll make sure we go high, and that's what we are going to continue to do. What I would say is, I'm very proud of our track record in government. It's delivered us election victory after election victory.
"Anyone who trashes that record - especially those that belong in the government - I think does a disservice to our activists and to our members. Having spoken to them, there is a lot hurt from them about one of our own trashing that record.
"I would say to any candidate - let's keep it positive, as the SNP has delivered so much for so many people, and that is why our support is so high."
Asked if his supporters were right to be angry, Yousaf continued: "They are not only angry they are hurt. Activists like the ones I met today knock their pan in on cold days, rainy days trying to get those leaflets through the door.
"It's tough, it's graft that they put in - and they've been doing that on the back of our track record which has won us so much support. That's why anyone who is trashing it is trashing the efforts of our activists.
"If my phone messages are anything to go by since last night, there is so much hurt there. What I will continue to do is talk up our amazing track record and build upon that legacy."
Asked if someone standing to be First Minister had to be open to being challenged, Yousaf said: "Absolutely. I'm just not going to make it personal.
"But also, if you are part of a government, and you have been part of the delivery of the record of that government, to then completely disown it, I think that is seriously damaging not just to our party I think that individual has to think long and hard about what they are doing to our movement."
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