The Scottish Conservative Party has issued a message of unity and support to Health Secretary Humza Yousaf in his complaint against a nursery accused of racial discrimination.
On the 1st of August Mr Yousaf stated on twitter that he had issued a complaint against a nursery after his daughter was refused a place twice yet a white Scottish child of a family friend with the same age and requirements was accepted within 24 hours. The Health Secretary’s wife then created an application with a white Scottish name and asked her sister to apply under the name “Sara Ahmed” on the same day. The false white Scottish application was accepted but her sister’s application was rejected.
These developments caused the Daily Record to investigate the case, through which they created two identical profiles for children of the same age and requirements, one under the name “Aqsa Akhtar” and the other under “Susan Blake”. Susan Blake was accepted and given the option of 4 afternoons, yet Aqsa Akhtar was rejected entirely.
As a result of these investigations the Health Secretary has reported the nursery to the Care Inspectorate and is also said to be seeking legal advice.
In a show of cross-party unity against discrimination, Douglas Ross released a statement saying:
This is an awful situation and no family or child should suffer discrimination because of their name and background. This should be investigated and stamped out.
In addition, the Scottish Health Secretary’s UK Government counterpart, Sajid Javid also got in touch with Humza Yousaf to express his support in fighting discrimination and racism throughout the United Kingdom.