HUMZA Yousaf is having his first date with Rishi Sunak.

The First Minister had already spoken to the Prime Minister by phone – Indyref2? ‘No’ – but this evening the pair are meeting in person, on Mr Sunak’s turf.

While in London, Mr Yousaf also met Mayor Sadiq Khan and the EU Ambassador.

But it is the FM-PM encounter which is the natural centre of attention.

Both men are the first leaders of their parties from ethnic minorities. They also share an enemy in Labour. But that aside, there is little for them to bond over other than misery.

Both lead parties suffering from internal divisions and voter fatigue. Mr Sunak has just lost his deputy over bullying claims, Mr Yousaf his party treasurer amid a police inquiry.

Both must be wondering how long the other will last, and whether it’s worth putting much effort into their encounter.

Indeed, Mr Yousaf has brought a bunch of grievances rather than a box of chocolates.

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The First Minister is taking Mr Sunak’s government to court over its veto of Holyrood’s gender reforms. Edinburgh is also accusing London of foot-dragging and dishonesty over the stalled deposit return scheme.

And to cap it all, Mr Yousaf has announced a new fight over alcohol duty on whisky, demanding a U-turn on the 10.1 per cent hike announced in last month’s budget.

At such meetings, perception can be as important as substance. Mr Yousaf is playing to his home crowd. His party, sick of turmoil, will relish a bit of old-fashioned Tory bashing.

Unless he knows already about a whisky U-turn and is trying to grab the credit, there is no chance of talking Mr Sunak into one. The Prime Minister is not going to risk a toxic split with his Chancellor for the sake of Mr Yousaf.

However, speaking up for whisky does play into the FM’s desire to “reset” relations with Scotland’s business community after some frosty years under Nicola Sturgeon.

Mr Sunak’s job is to look like the unflustered grown-up in the room. The one without a party in a financial meltdown. The one who’ll never allow independence.

On recent form, anything less than an awkward silence will be a triumph.

Ms Sturgeon famously found the robotic Theresa May tough going.

Their tete-a-tetes, the former First Minister later recalled, were “soul destroying”.

The Tory PM would rely so heavily on her notes that all attempts at small talk tanked. She would never depart from the script.

Once, Ms Sturgeon tried to break the ice by mentioning that Ms May, as she often did, was wearing a great pair of shoes.

“Before we get onto Brexit, fantastic shoes,” Ms Sturgeon quipped. At which Mrs May’s eyes betrayed a quiver of panic. Her shoes were not in the script.

Ms Sturgeon came to miss her, however, after Boris Johnson took over.

The pair had no respect or time for each other and did little to hide it.

When the tousle-haired one arrived at Bute House in 2019 to energetic booing from across the road, Ms Sturgeon...

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