Yousaf brands PMQs exchange on Palestianian refugees as 'sickening'

Humza Yousaf has branded an exchange between Keir Starmer and Kemi Badenoch on refugees as “sickening”.

The former first minister described their comments on preventing Palestinian refugees from being allowed to live in Britain under the Homes for Ukraine scheme as “institutional racism”.

Tory leader Badenoch questioned Starmer on whether his Government planned to appeal a judgement allowing a family of six fleeing Gaza to settle under the scheme.

Agreeing that the decision was “wrong”, the Prime Minister said his home secretary was already looking at closing the legal loophole. He added that the family came through the scheme in January 2024, when the Tories were in power.

Starmer refused to confirm whether the UK Government will actively appeal the ruling.

Speaking at Westminster on Wednesday, he said: “I don’t agree with the decision; it’s the wrong decision. It should be Parliament that makes the rules on immigration. The home secretary is already looking at the legal loophole that we need to close.”

Yousaf, whose mother and father-in-law became trapped in Gaza after war broke out on October 7, told STV News: “I thought the exchange between the Prime Minister and the leader of the opposition, at Prime Minister’s Questions was one of the most sickening sessions of Prime Minister’s Questions I’ve ever watched.

“You had the Prime Minister and Kemi Badenoch competing in who was the most inhumane. And all they did to me was confirm what many of us have known, frankly, for many, many months now.

“It showed institutional racism come to the surface, that if you’re a white European fleeing war like those from Ukraine, then yes, you can have sanctuary here, something, by the way, I support.

“But if you’re a Palestinian or an Arab, then I’m sorry, there’s no room in the inn. How unkind, how un-Christian and how inhumane. I found it a deeply shameful episode indeed.”

Yousaf called on the UK Government to end its complicity in the war and to immediately recognise the Palestinian state.

“Gaza belongs to the people of Gaza”, he added. “For those who want to flee war and persecution, there should be a scheme that allows vulnerable refugees to come to our country. Of course, controlled in numbers like we have done in other war zones such as Ukraine.

“It is a horrendous situation to be in. I’ve never seen such devastation. I’ve run out of words to describe just how horrific the situation is not only for Nadia’s family but the almost two million people who are left in Gaza.

“Being trapped there is something they will never truly recover from. They’re not the same people, but they’re the lucky ones. They keep reminding us of that.

“It’s a dreadful nightmare of a situation.”

The former first minister said Palestinians will always resist attempts to take over their land, in response to recent remarks from Donald Trump which have thrown the recent Israel-Hamas ceasefire into question.

Trump’s comments should be taken seriously and could lead to more “death and devastation” in Gaza, he said.

The US President has suggested taking over the Gaza Strip and recently said “all hell is going to break out” if Hamas does not release all hostages by a Saturday deadline.

Yousaf said Hamas as well as Israel must be held accountable, saying “international law must apply to non-state parties as much as state parties”.

Yousaf also said the UK must stop being “complicit” in war crimes and exert influence on Israel to comply with international law.