Twitter users have accused Jackson Carlaw of being "outdated" and "sexist" after the Tory interim leader referred to the police as the "boys in blue".
Responding to an article in The Mail on Sunday by Scottish Conservative MSP Liam Kerr, Carlaw repeated the headline "The SNP have abandoned our boys in blue".
Yousaf – who is Scotland's Justice Minister – listed the inaccuracies then went on to call out the two Conservative MSP for the use of language.
As well as shocking inaccuracies (see previous tweet) idea of "boys in blue" is so out-dated, female officers exist at highest levels of Police Scot & right through the ranks. Not surprising Jackson ignores their contribution, only found room for 3 women in his shadow Cabinet! https://t.co/SYElST17kL
— Humza Yousaf (@HumzaYousaf) February 23, 2020
He reminded Carlaw of the gender imbalance in the Tory Shadow Cabinet and that female officers exist at highest levels of Police Scotland.
READ MORE: Jackson Carlaw's voting rights for criminals views slammed
Gillian Martin, SNP MSP for Aberdeenshire East, also took issue with the "outdated" wording. She said: "Women police officers exist. This is not a good look. Outdated language could betray outdated views....heaven forfend!"
Women police officers exist. This is not a good look. Outdated language could betray outdated views....heaven forfend!
— Gillian Martin (@GillianMSP) February 23, 2020
Dr Hannah Graham, a senior lecturer at Stirling University told Carlaw that "policing is not just for 'boys'".
Policing is not just for 'boys', and the Police Scotland uniform is black, not blue. Please avoid perpetuating unhelpful sexist stereotypes.
— Hannah Graham (@DrHannahGraham) February 23, 2020
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