Humza Yousaf considering 'calling it quits' as Scotland's first minister today

29 April 2024, 05:44 | Updated: 29 April 2024, 11:14

Humza Yousaf is considering resigning as Scotland's first minister as early as today, Sky News understands. 

A senior source has said the embattled SNP leader could "call it quits" today ahead of a key vote of no confidence later this week.

Mr Yousaf is set to hold a news conference at midday to make an announcement about his future.

He is facing two no-confidence votes at Holyrood in the coming days after the collapse of his power-sharing agreement with the Scottish Greens on Thursday.

The 39-year-old, who now runs a minority administration in Edinburgh, sacked the Greens on Thursday and they have joined the opposition in confirming they will vote to oust him.

Talks had been planned with the Alba party, which is led by now-bitter rival Alex Salmond. Its only MSP, Ash Regan - who defected from the SNP last October - was set to cast the deciding vote and determine Mr Yousaf's future.

The pair had been due to meet this week, with Ms Regan bringing a set of demands as her price of agreement.

But, some senior figures within the SNP had said publicly and privately that would be an electoral disaster and seriously harm the nationalist cause.

One MP said it would go down like a "cup of cold sick".

A source told Sky News on Monday morning Mr Yousaf said Mr Salmond pulling the strings behind the scenes would be "doing a deal with the devil".

Mr Yousaf is facing a no-confidence vote on his leadership of Scotland, and a separate motion of no confidence in the entire Scottish government has also been tabled.

Sky News understands Mr Yousaf could now walk on Monday ahead of the vote.

His tune appears to have changed after he insisted during a walkabout in Fife on Saturday he had no intention of resigning.

Former deputy first minister John Swinney is tipped to take over from Mr Yousaf as a caretaker first minister.

"There's a lot to happen today, and we'll wait to hear what the first minister's got to say later on today," Mr Swinney said without commenting on whether Mr Yousaf will be resigning or not.

Scottish Green Party co-leader Lorna Slater told Sky News Mr Yousaf only has himself to blame if he loses his job, adding that he showed "very poor judgement" in ending their powersharing deal.

The Alba Party's Westminster leader, MP Neale Hanvey, told Sky News he thinks Mr Yousaf's "hand is being forced from within the SNP".

"It seems that the internal manoeuvrings within the SNP have made it impossible for the first minister to continue," he said.

"I don't think he would be even considering resigning if he had the support of his parliamentary group and I think reading between the lines, that's not something that he can depend on now and that's possibly why he's been forced to seriously consider resigning."

In Westminster, Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride told Sky News: "It does seem an extraordinary mess that he's managed to get him and the SNP into. That they are now potentially going to be beholden to Alba.

"If you look at the SNP's record, their obsession with independence, I'm afraid, has led to very poor outcomes when it comes to health, when it comes to education and a number of other areas."

Senior Labour MP Ellie Reeves told Sky News there should be an election in Scotland amid the "chaos in the SNP".

The SNP had been in a power-sharing agreement with the Greens since 2021 which gave the SNP a majority at Holyrood, as without it the party - then led by Nicola Sturgeon - would have had to operate as a minority administration.

But there had been mounting tensions between the two parties, which ended when the government decided to ditch its flagship target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 75% by 2030 after accepting it is now "out of reach".

Before that there had been friction over the decision to pause the prescription of new puberty blockers to under-18s at Scotland's only gender clinic, resulting in the Greens announcing they would have a vote on the future of the power-sharing deal.

TIMELINE OF THE FALLOUT

• Thursday 18 April: The Scottish government ditches its flagship target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 75% by 2030 after accepting it is now "out of reach". Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie says he is "angry and disappointed". Earlier in the day, two Scottish health boards announce they are pausing the prescription of puberty blockers to young people in response to the Cass Review. The Rainbow Greens, the party's LGBT wing, brand the pausing of puberty blockers a "betrayal" of trans youngsters and launch a petition on the future of the Bute House Agreement.
• Friday 19 April: The Scottish Greens confirm an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) will be held in the coming weeks to discuss the Bute House Agreement, the power-sharing deal between the Greens and the SNP.
• Tuesday 23 April: The Alba Party announces its Holyrood leader Ash Regan intends to submit a motion of no confidence in Mr Harvie following his failure to accept the findings of the Cass Review. Mr Harvie dismisses the motion as "sordid political game-playing". He also confirms he would quit as Scottish Greens co-leader if party members vote to leave the Bute House Agreement.
• Thursday 25 April: First Minister Humza Yousaf announces he is terminating the Bute House Agreement with immediate effect. Scottish Greens co-leader Lorna Slater accuses the SNP of "political cowardice". The Scottish Conservatives announce they intend to lodge a vote of no confidence in the first minister. The Scottish Greens confirm they will support the motion.
• Friday 26 April: Scottish Labour announce they intend to lodge a vote of no confidence in the Scottish government. If it passes, Mr Yousaf would be legally bound to resign as first minister. Speaking to Sky News, Mr Yousaf says he intends to fight the vote of no confidence.
• Saturday 27 April: Mr Yousaf tells Sky News he has written to all of the opposition parties, urging them to rethink their plot to oust him. He admits he cannot rule out a Scottish election if he fails to win the vote.
• Sunday 28 April: It is reported that Mr Yousaf will refuse to enter an electoral pact with Alex Salmond's Alba Party in an effort to win Ms Regan's support in the Scottish parliament.
• Monday 29 April: A senior source confirms to Sky News Mr Yousaf could "call it quits" on Monday ahead of the vote of no confidence expected later this week.

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