FIRST MINISTER Humza Yousaf used his address to the Scottish Trades Union Congress today to challenge the next Labour government to ditch Tory austerity.

Speaking in his home town of Dundee, the SNP leader and Glasgow Pollok MSP reiterated his consistent calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and took the opportunity to thank congress for the “support and kindness” offered to him and his partner while members of her family continue to be trapped in the warzone.

Defining his values, the former trade union member repeated his calls for an immediate halt to all arms sales to Israel before turning to matters closer to home.

He addressed the controversial implementation of the Hate Crime Act, which came into force just over a fortnight ago.

“The lesson on the Hate Crime Act is clear: stand by your values and when you know you are doing the right thing, keep calm and carry on,” he said.

He also told congress that “this Tory government is finished” and went on to slam its record of “years of austerity, the dismantling of the welfare state, the disaster of Brexit, the demonisation of migrants and refugees, and their complete mishandling of the economy” before shifting his aim to Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer.

Mr Yousaf expressed frustration that Sir Keir had yet to respond to his approaches offering discussions on “reversing ther damage of 14 years of Conservative austerity” before going on the attack.

He told congress the next election would be a “choice of values,” adding: “Keir Starmer’s values will see him lift the cap on bankers’ bonuses, but not lift the two-child benefit cap — those are the wrong values and wrong priorities.”