A whistle-blower alleged a Scots businessman and good friend of Humza Yousaf had made undeclared cash donations in a “cash for seats” operation. Paul Di Mascio’s nepotism claims about the shortcomings of the 2021 Airdrie and Shotts selection added context to the claims of ties between the chosen candidate and her ties to Yousaf. Four years later and still no response to Di Mascio’s complaint or resolution by the police of the whistle-blowers allegations. Oh! and Neil Gray is involved but I am unclear at present how he figures apart from a massive pay rise.

An Introduction to the Yousaf & Qaisar families

The families of Scottish-born Humza Yousaf and Anum Qaisar were immigrant Pakistanis who settled in Glasgow. Both of their fathers were qualified accountants and Qaisar’s father was also a Company and Managing Director of several wholesale and retail clothing concerns. The families have been friends for many years.

Anum Qaisar the Early Years

Anum was raised in Motherwell and studied politics at the University of Stirling. She was an active member of Scottish Labour and became general secretary of Muslim Friends of Labour. She campaigned for a “Yes” vote at the 2014 Scottish independence referendum and joined the SNP later that year.

In 2015 the politically ambitious Anum failed in her bid to be selected as the SNP candidate for Edinburgh Eastern at the 2016 Scottish Parliament election and became a Parliamentary researcher at Westminster for Carol Monaghan MP.

She married Dr Usman Khalid Javed in 2015. Her wedding was attended by Sturgeon, her husband Murrell, Humza Yousaf and other members of the SNP NEC. The couple legally separated in 2021 not long after she was elected to serve as the MP for Airdrie & Shotts.

2021 Airdrie & Shotts By-Election

In April 2021, Anum was selected as the SNP candidate for the 2021 Airdrie and Shotts by-election and won it, becoming Scotland’s second female Muslim MP. The election had been triggered by the resignation of the sitting SNP MP Neil Gray so he could take up an MSP post at Holyrood in the May 2021 Scottish Parliament election.

The SNP was accused of “parachuting” Yousaf’s favourite into the election, to the detriment of local candidates following reports that her rich family were unhappy she had not been selected to fight the 2016 Holyrood election and had made their feelings known.

North Lanarkshire councillor, Paul Di Mascio, said he would have won the support of local members to stand in the 2021 Airdrie and Shotts by-election and claimed that his candidacy had been blocked by the cabal of Nicola Sturgeon, Peter Murrell and Kirsten Oswald with the former two attending the wedding of the winning candidate.

He went on to say:

“I was interviewed by SNP chair and business convener Kirsten Oswald and then told that I had failed the process. There wasn’t much explanation given. Other local candidates weren’t even given an interview. Branch members then had a candidate who was not from the area imposed on them through a process that had been manipulated to make sure Anum won. I received messages of support from many councillors, sitting MPs and MSPs as well as local activists and people who had held senior positions within the party who thought it was a disgrace and themselves eluded to the whole process being manipulated or fixed from start to finish. The feeling was that the system was being manipulated to favour those selected by the leadership of the party – Nicola Sturgeon, Peter Murrell and their cronies. Rumours have been circulating for years about nepotism behind the scenes and nothing would now surprise me.””

Local MSP Neil Gray, who himself is not local, was hugely supportive of Anum, who had appeared from nowhere and had the support all of a sudden of Neil’s office staff and others who subsequently became employees when she was elected.

SNP – Police Investigate Allegations of Illegal Cash Donations

A letter from a whistle-blower made bombshell claims that SNP officials received substantial donations amounting to a five-figure sums from a Scots businessman friend of Humza Yousaf that were never published in line with electoral rules which require any donation over £500 to be declared. Failure to do so is a criminal act.

The Lord Advocate, the country’s chief prosecutor, was sent the details.

A source close to the SNP said: “It is well known that the businessman at the centre of these allegations is friendly with Humza Yousaf. They have known each other for quite a long time and have been seen chatting on many occasions at social gatherings. I would say they are friends.”

The author of the letter wrote that the businessman “expressed and boasted on several occasions in public spaces that he had donated ‘tens of thousands of pounds’ to the SNP over many occasions and years” and also alleges he was observed handing over “cash in white envelopes”. and continued: “I must disclose this information to assist your investigation and for the public interest. It would be an injustice not to inform you.”

It goes on to name the businessman and the politician they are related to, as well as SNP figures said to be aware of the donations. Details also included the timings of the donations.

Well, Well, Well: Another Scottish Police Force investigation into alleged fraud linking the SNP leadership to large cash handouts from Muslim interests This and possibly other incidences died a death in the legal system and went largely unreported.

Sunday, 7 November 2021-The Secret Affair Between 2 Prominent SNP Politicians

Police were called after the partner of an SNP politician at the centre of the affair claimed her relatives had turned up at his home making threats. The man told officers he was shouted at and intimidated by two men outside his house and ordered to stop talking about the alleged affair.

Police Scotland confirmed they had attended the incident. A source said: “They were trying to put pressure on him and his family to shut up. The police had to be called.” A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 11.20 am on Sunday, 7 November 2021, we were called to a report of a dispute at the property. Officers attended and advice was given.”

The SNP has robustly denied rumours of the romantic relationship between the two highly-placed figures and said they are “categorically untrue”.

Both parties involved, widely known in political circles, cannot be named for legal reasons. The aggrieved partner of the politician said:

“I’ve thought long and hard about going public about this, but I feel I can’t. I am fearful about the repercussions if I do, and I have to protect my family at all costs. That’s the most important thing for me.”

An SNP spokesman said: “We are aware of rumours being reported in the media concerning two particular politicians, which first circulated at the start of 2021. No substantiation for these rumours has ever been offered, very simply because these allegations are categorically untrue.”

The Scottish-Islamic Foundation

The foundation was wound up after spending several hundreds of thousands of pounds of taxpayers’ money with almost nothing to show for it and with large sums unaccounted for. Humza Yousaf’s aunt and mother were employed by the charity which was placed on a watch list after being described as an entry-level group for Islamist terrorists.

2017 – Gail and Humza Divorced

Difficulties surfaced in the marriage in the Autumn of 2015. But there was no public hint that their marriage was over until early December 2016 when the then Scottish Transport Minister (May 2016 – 26 June 2018) was charged with driving without insurance and blamed his ‘embarrassing error’ on his separation from his wife. He was fined £300 and handed 6 penalty points.

Gail divorced Yousaf early in 2017, a seismic event, given the circumstances contributing to the end of her marriage also forced her to leave the SNP.

In the run-up to the 2019 general election, she posted a photo of herself on Twitter posing with a Green campaign leaflet advocating diversity in Glasgow’s voting habits urging voters not to vote for political parties hijacked by “cults” but instead to lend their support to the Scottish Green Party which at that time had not yet been hijacked by a bunch of loonies.