Humza Yousaf has said it felt 'surreal' to return to ordinary life without police protection after stepping down as Scotland's first minister. After years in government and 13 months in the top job, he described feeling uncertain about how to adjust to life on the backbenches and later away from parliament altogether. He formally left the Scottish Parliament last week, ending a 15-year political career.

Yousaf reflected on the intense pressures of leadership, including internal party divisions, policy disputes and a police investigation into party finances. He acknowledged making mistakes, particularly over ending the power-sharing agreement with the Scottish Greens, a move that ultimately left his government vulnerable to a no-confidence vote and led to his resignation. He said he takes full responsibility for his decisions.

International events also weighed heavily on him. During his time in office, his wife’s family was trapped in Gaza for weeks amid conflict following the October 2023 attacks by Hamas, which he described as the most traumatic period of his family’s life. He reiterated his call for a ceasefire and urged global leaders to uphold international law, warning that powerful nations are acting with few consequences. He also suggested Europe should reconsider its reliance on the United States for defence and security.