One of three candidates vying to take over from Nicola Sturgeon as chief of the SNP says his absence from a key vote on homosexual marriage is being “dragged up” for political causes.
Humza Yousaf informed Sky News that his abstention from the ultimate vote on equal marriage in Scotland in 2014 is being raised by “people who are supporting other candidates”.
That “probably tells you the motivation behind it”, he added.
Asked twice whether or not homosexual intercourse is a sin, Mr Yousaf, a practising Muslim who says he shall be fasting throughout Ramadan, replied: “No.”
He informed Sophy Ridge on Sunday: “I consider that individuals’s marriage, if they’re homosexual, and they’re married, that their marriage is not any extra inferior, or price much less, than my marriage as a heterosexual particular person.
“So no, I don’t subscribe to that view (that gay sex is a sin).”
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Regarding non secular considerations about homosexuality, he mentioned: “I can’t change what’s in scripture. What I can tell you is the approach I will take which is that I will not allow personal faith to be the basis of legislation.”
Asked about his absence from the 2014 vote, Mr Yousaf mentioned he attended a gathering to attempt to get a Scottish citizen, who was in Pakistan “on blasphemy”, and who had been attacked on demise row, again to Scotland.
He informed Sky News: “There was a series of meetings taking place between myself and the Pakistani government to get this individual back home.
“One of these conferences was in the course of the stage three vote.
“Let me be unequivocal about it – if I was there I would have voted for it. That was well known at the time.”
But former minister Alex Neil has claimed Mr Yousaf’s assembly might have been rearranged.
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One of Mr Yousaf’s rivals, Kate Forbes, a practising Christian, has mentioned she doesn’t consider in intercourse exterior marriage.
“In terms of my faith, my faith would say that sex is for marriage and that’s the approach that I would practice,” she informed Sky News.
She additionally mentioned transgender double rapist Isla Bryson “is a man” and he or she doesn’t assist making it simpler for individuals aged 16 and 17 to alter gender – one thing that was within the Scottish authorities’s Gender Recognition Reform Bill.
That invoice has been blocked by the UK authorities.
Mr Yousaf mentioned: “I think Bryson is at it to be honest,” including he would not assume they’re a “true trans woman”.
He added: “I think they’re trying to play the system for personal advantage.”
The third candidate is Ash Regan, who resigned in protest at Nicola Sturgeon’s gender laws.
Source: information.sky.com”