First Minister Humza Yousaf to take paternity leave when wife gives birth in summer

Scotland’s First Minister will take paternity leave to be a “supportive husband” when his wife gives birth later this year.

Humza Yousaf announced last week that he and his wife Nadia El-Nakla were expecting a baby in July.

Yousaf – who will be the first sitting First Minister to welcome a child while in office – said he felt it was important to set an example that there was no “contradiction” in being a parent and holding key leadership roles.

The couple already have two children – their daughter Amal is four and Yousaf is stepfather to 14-year-old Maya.

Speaking to journalists in Moffat, Dumfries and Galloway, the First Minister thanked the public for their well wishes, adding he and his wife were “excited and a little bit terrified” for the baby’s arrival.

He said: “I absolutely will take paternity leave. For me, I intend, as I always have been with my two daughters currently, to be absolutely hands-on as a father and to be as supportive a husband as I possibly can be.”

Scotland’s economy secretary Mairi McAllan also announced she was expecting her first child with husband Iain in the summer.

Yousaf said the Scottish Government was “setting an example” on the importance of family and work balance.

“I think it is important, whether it’s the wonderful news that Mairi McAllan had in terms of a new arrival, or whether it’s my own news, regardless of what position you’re in and how busy your job may be, that it’s really important to set an example that you can, of course, have a family while still being in important leadership responsibilities.

“I don’t see a contradiction between the two. My first job and first priority is not just being First Minister, but also making sure that I am a hands-on father to my kids too.”

Yousaf will be able to take up to two weeks’ paternity leave once his child is born.

He has said he is already prepared for the sleepless nights which could be coming after balancing the top job’s responsibilities with his current family balance.

He said his four-year-old Amal has been a “dreadful sleeper” since birth, adding: “You have to be able to work as a team with your partner, as I’m lucky to be able to do with Nadia.

“There’ll be some very sleepless nights, I’m sure, but I’m grateful for all the love and support that I get from my family in order to help with some of those family commitments.”