'Naive' Yousaf criticised millionaire over ties to opponent of gay rights

Civil rights groups have accused Humza Yousaf of being "naive" about his links to Sir Brian Souter, the millionaire transport boss who funds a network of conservative Christian groups that campaign against gay and women's rights.

- Severin Carrell

The Humanist Society of Scotland (HSS) said Scotland's first minister faced "serious questions" after it emerged he had courted Souter despite the businessman's longstanding hostility to equal marriage, abortion rights and trans rights.

Souter, formerly a regular donor to the Scottish National party, helped to arrange a private business dinner in Edinburgh at Yousaf's request last year, after inviting the first minister to a "prayer breakfast" following Yousaf's victory in the SNP leadership contest.

A co-founder of the Stagecoach transport empire, Souter spent at least £1m unsuccessfully fighting in the 2000s to keep the rules, known as section 28, that banned teachers from "promoting" gay rights in schools.

Over the past three years Souter has given at least £650,000 to evangelical groups that oppose policies championed by Nicola Sturgeon, such as barring protests outside abortion clinics, outlawing conversion practices and protecting trans people in Scotland. These groups also oppose proposals to legalise assisted dying in Scotland that have won all-party backing at Holyrood. One of these groups with evangelical links, Care Not Killing, is funded by Souter.

Ally Thomson, the Scotland director of Dignity in Dying, which is pro-assisted dying, said these groups represented a "vocal minority" with "a track record of opposing personal freedoms such as reproductive rights and equal marriage".