Donald Dewar did more than almost anyone to steer the Scottish Parliament into existence.
Holyrood now dominates the Scottish news agenda but our Parliament would never have been reborn without the tireless campaigning of towering Scottish Labour stalwarts such as Dewar – rightly dubbed “the father of the nation”.
The former Scottish Labour leader died in office aged just 63 in 2000 in a shattering blow to Scotland’s devolved government.
His short time as first minister set the standards for the office and his legacy has been an ever-present, striving for a better country for all – reflected in the best of what Labour and the SNP has delivered.
Humza Yousaf yesterday became the sixth person to become leader of the Scottish Government.
He is the youngest person to hold the role as well as the first to come from an ethnic minority background.
So it was fitting he chose to pay tribute to Dewar in his maiden speech as First Minister.
Yousaf read a quote from the first first minister, in which Dewar spoke of “the common aims that we shared across this chamber of giving people a better life and a better future”.
There can be few better statements to motivate those working in the Scottish Parliament today.
The sight of an SNP leader paying tribute to a Labour stalwart should not be unusual.
The two parties have been ferocious opponents during the devolution era.
But there is common ground between the two. Yousaf also realises that if he is to advance the cause of Scottish independence, he must appeal to the many Labour voters who did not vote Yes in 2014.
Labour itself lost many supporters by its decision to doggedly campaign for a No vote.
Almost a decade on and the constitution is still the biggest dividing line between the two parties.
And now, with a major general election coming down the line, the SNP and Labour will once again be fighting over every last vote.
If a UK-wide ballot takes place next year, polls suggest the Nationalists could lose more than a dozen seats across the Central Belt.
There’s a lot at stake as Yousaf takes charge.
But before any election, our new First Minister must focus his attentions on domestic matters.
With the cost of living crisis still raging, too many Scots are still struggling to make ends meet.
Record readers – whether they support indy or not – will want Yousaf to focus his energy on rebuilding the NHS, revitalising our economy and tackling poverty.
He has spoken eloquently on how these are his priorities. He has talked the talk – now let’s see him walk the walk.
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