A TOP member of Keir Starmer's frontbench team called Humza Yousaf "Muhammad" on live TV.
Speaking on Sky News on Wednesday morning, the Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland was asked by presenter Niall Paterson about his views on whether the First Minister should suspend Nicola Sturgeon.
In his response, the Labour MP said that "Muhammad Yousaf has to get a grip on his party".
Should Nicola Sturgeon be suspended from the SNP? "Humza Yousaf needs to get a grip of his party", says Labour's @peterkyle as he believes 'the SNP is imploding and the people of Scotland are being let down' https://t.co/ibYld4oi5t 📺 Sky 501 and YouTube pic.twitter.com/WTFuNRWvxu
— Sky News (@SkyNews) April 19, 2023
In full, Peter Kyle said: "What we do know for a fact is that the SNP is imploding. People in Scotland are being let down.
"They're being let down twice by a government in Scotland that is imploding and a government in Westminster that is not delivering ...
"The criminal investigation that is currently under way into the SNP needs to follow its course."
He went on: "I think that Muhammad Yousaf has to get a grip on his party because right now it is not capable of serving the people of Scotland."
Peter Kyle apologised, saying he was "mortified". He said: "I’m always mortified if I ever get someone’s name wrong and I am now. I’m sorry to Humza and promise it’s a mistake I won’t make twice."
Top human rights lawyer Aamer Anwar called it "pathetic".
He said: "It’s pretty pathetic that a senior member of Starmer’s team can’t even get the name of the First Minister of Scotland right.
"What’s next are they going to call Anas, Aamer Sarwar?"
On Wednesday morning, Anwar mocked ITV after the broadcaster mistook him for Labour leader Anas Sarwar in a news segment aired on Tuesday evening.
Somedays I’m @ScotGovFM but I see this evening that I’ve taken over @ScottishLabour in @itvnews, only problem is I appear to have lost my good looks 😂💔easy mistake, after all there are only 3 Asian men in Scotland 🙈but I’m not a politician!! pic.twitter.com/NxFUPbC7GW
— Aamer Anwar✊🏾🏳️🌈#BlackLivesMatter (@AamerAnwar) April 18, 2023
Other Westminster figures have also embarrassed themselves after struggling with the First Minister's name.
Adam Boulton – the former Sky News political editor and current Times Radio host – called him "Hamza Yousef" in a post announcing his victory in the SNP leadership contest.
And GB News's Tom Harwood referred to Yousaf as Anas Sarwar – the Scottish Labour leader – in more than one occasion while reporting after Nicola Sturgeon's resignation.
