19 April 2023 , 11:38
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A Shadow cabinet minister has said he is "mortified" and apologised after calling SNP leader Humza Yousaf "Mohammad Yousuf" in a TV interview this morning.
Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Kyle, who was talking about a criminal investigation into the SNP, said: "Mohammad Yousuf needs to get a grip on his party because right now it is not capable of serving the people of Scotland."
Mohammad Yousuf is a Muslim batsman and former captain of Pakistan's cricket team.
Humza Yousaf was elected to replace Nicola Sturgeon as SNP leader and Scottish First Minister last month, becoming the first person from a minority ethnic background and first Muslim to hold the post.
Mr Kyle was accused of being "racist" and "ignorant" by people on social media after appearing to mix the two prominent Muslim figures. He did not seem to realise the error as he carried on speaking.
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Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Kyle said it was "a mistake I won’t make twice"Mr Kyle told the Mirror: "I’m always mortified if I ever get someone’s name wrong and I am now. I’m sorry to Humza and promise it’s a mistake I won’t make twice."
Sky News did not refer to Mr Kyle's error in the post on Twitter. The tweet remained up on its account however it turned off replies, stopping users from commenting on the post.
Earlier this month, former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell - and Ms Sturgeon's husband - was arrested amid a probe into the funding and finances of the party.
He was questioned for more than 11 hours before being released without charge "pending further investigation".
On Tuesday SNP treasurer Colin Beattie was arrested and was also released without charge "pending further investigation" later in the day.
Members of the party believe it is "inevitable" that Ms Sturgeon will be next to be arrested and questioned by police.
Speaking on Sky News this morning, Mr Kyle said: "A criminal investigation that's currently underway into the SNP needs to follow its course. I think that Mohammad Yousuf needs to get a grip on his party because right now it is not capable of serving the people of Scotland.
"And that's the thing that concerns us in the Labour Party the most and our leader Anas Sarwar, who is the most popular leader in Scotland, is out there to create the circumstances where there can be an alternative that the people in Scotland can have faith in because right now the people of Scotland really deserve to have a bit of faith in someone and the Labour Party is there to serve them."
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