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| Humza Yousaf to meet Rishi Sunak in London | Humza Yousaf to meet Rishi Sunak in London |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Humza Yousaf will meet the prime minister for the first time since he replaced Nicola Sturgeon | Humza Yousaf will meet the prime minister for the first time since he replaced Nicola Sturgeon |
| Humza Yousaf will meet Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in person for the first time since he became Scotland's first minister. | Humza Yousaf will meet Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in person for the first time since he became Scotland's first minister. |
| They are expected to discuss a tax rise affecting Scotch whisky and energy bill support for the drinks industry. | They are expected to discuss a tax rise affecting Scotch whisky and energy bill support for the drinks industry. |
| The meeting in London this evening will take place amid a looming court battle. | The meeting in London this evening will take place amid a looming court battle. |
| The Scottish government has announced plans to launch a legal challenge to Westminster's block on its controversial gender reforms. | The Scottish government has announced plans to launch a legal challenge to Westminster's block on its controversial gender reforms. |
| The proposals, which would allow people in Scotland to self-identify their sex, were passed by the Scottish Parliament in December last year. | The proposals, which would allow people in Scotland to self-identify their sex, were passed by the Scottish Parliament in December last year. |
| But they were blocked by the UK government over their potential impact on UK-wide equality laws. | But they were blocked by the UK government over their potential impact on UK-wide equality laws. |
| Block on gender reform laws to be challenged in court | Block on gender reform laws to be challenged in court |
| Old tensions to remain for SNP's new leader | Old tensions to remain for SNP's new leader |
| The first minister has previously said challenging the UK government's block on the gender Bill was "our only means of defending our parliament's democracy from the Westminster veto" but Mr Sunak said Westminster had taken "very careful and considered advice" on the issue before acting. | The first minister has previously said challenging the UK government's block on the gender Bill was "our only means of defending our parliament's democracy from the Westminster veto" but Mr Sunak said Westminster had taken "very careful and considered advice" on the issue before acting. |
| The meeting also comes after the Scottish government delayed the introduction of its deposit return scheme from August to March next year, in a move that circular economy minister Lorna Slater blamed on Westminster. | The meeting also comes after the Scottish government delayed the introduction of its deposit return scheme from August to March next year, in a move that circular economy minister Lorna Slater blamed on Westminster. |
| She said the delay was primarily due to the UK government not providing an exemption to the Internal Market Act, which was implemented after Britain left the European Union to regulate trade within the country. | She said the delay was primarily due to the UK government not providing an exemption to the Internal Market Act, which was implemented after Britain left the European Union to regulate trade within the country. |
| During their talks Mr Yousaf is expected to raise the planned 10.1% tax hike on Scotch whisky, alongside the UK government "refusing to provide the energy-bill support the rest of the drinks industry receives". | During their talks Mr Yousaf is expected to raise the planned 10.1% tax hike on Scotch whisky, alongside the UK government "refusing to provide the energy-bill support the rest of the drinks industry receives". |
| Ahead of the meeting the first minister said: "It's time for the prime minister to bring fairness back to the way whisky is treated and I will make that crystal clear when we meet today." | Ahead of the meeting the first minister said: "It's time for the prime minister to bring fairness back to the way whisky is treated and I will make that crystal clear when we meet today." |
| During his time in the UK capital Mr Yousaf will also meet London mayor Sadiq Khan and with ambassadors, including those from Germany and Ukraine, the Scottish government said. | During his time in the UK capital Mr Yousaf will also meet London mayor Sadiq Khan and with ambassadors, including those from Germany and Ukraine, the Scottish government said. |
| While the talks will be their first in person since the SNP leader became Scotland's first minister last month, it will not be their first conversation. | While the talks will be their first in person since the SNP leader became Scotland's first minister last month, it will not be their first conversation. |
| The pair spoke via telephone after Mr Yousaf was chosen by MSPs to be first minister on 28 March. | The pair spoke via telephone after Mr Yousaf was chosen by MSPs to be first minister on 28 March. |
| Humza Yousaf and Rishi Sunak might not have got off to the best start, after the prime minister rejected the new first minister's calls for an independence referendum within hours of his taking office. | Humza Yousaf and Rishi Sunak might not have got off to the best start, after the prime minister rejected the new first minister's calls for an independence referendum within hours of his taking office. |
| That is not an issue they are ever likely to see eye-to-eye on, but the two leaders will look to reset relations in their first in-person meeting. | |
| A bit of diplomacy might be a welcome distraction for both, with Mr Sunak having just lost his deputy to a bullying probe, and Mr Yousaf dealing with the fallout from the police investigation of the SNP. | A bit of diplomacy might be a welcome distraction for both, with Mr Sunak having just lost his deputy to a bullying probe, and Mr Yousaf dealing with the fallout from the police investigation of the SNP. |
| They may be able to commiserate as leaders whose governments are buffeted by events outwith their immediate control. | |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Scottish government | Scottish government |
| Scotch whisky | Scotch whisky |
| London | London |
| Rishi Sunak | Rishi Sunak |
| Humza Yousaf | Humza Yousaf |