I HAVE THE MOMENTUM

Yousaf hails backing of John Swinney and top SNP figures as he says he will put family first if he wins the leadership

- ANDREW QUINN

HUMZA Yousaf has said his campaign has "momentum" as he welcomed John Swinney's backing in the SNP leadership race before the polls opened today.

The Health Secretary said that it was a sign of strength" that a "giant" of the independence movement was supporting him.

Deputy First Minister Swinney became the latest high-profile party figure to back Yousaf on Saturday evening.

That came hours after the party's Westminster leader Stephen Flynn announced that he was supporting the MSP for Glasgow Pollok.

The SNP's Deputy Westminster leader Mhairi Black had already said she was backing Yousaf, as are ex-Westminster leader Ian Blackford and constitution secretary Angus Robertson.

Yousaf told BBC Scotland's The Sunday Show: "It's sign of strength, that somebody who is the giant of our movement, indisputable that he is seen as a titan of a movement, who has campaigned for independence for, I think, over four decades, has trusted me to build on our progressive agenda and also trusted me to deliver independence. I think anybody would bite John Swinney's hand off for that endorsement.

He added: "It's not just parliamentarians who are backing me, polls have shown that I am ahead with SNP voters and with SNP members.

"Momentum is everything in a campaign and that's clearly with my campaign."

Swinney had said that Yousaf would "widen our support in attracting new supporters to Scottish independence."

He said: "Humza is best placed to lead our party because he will strengthen the SNP as a force for progressive change in Scottish politics.