Humza Yousaf has resigned as Scotland’s First Minister ahead of two votes of confidence in Holyrood this week.
The SNP leader’s premiership had been hanging by a thread since he ended the Bute House Agreement with the Scottish Greens last week.
Reports had suggested he would step down from his role rather than face parliament after the Scottish Tories tabled a motion of no confidence in him and Scottish Labour submitted a similar motion against his Government.
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Humza Yousaf believed ending the Bute House agreement was ‘right for the country’
‘I believed ending the Bute House agreement was the right thing for the country’.
Humza Yousf has announced he will resign
There will be a leadership election to find a replacement SNP leader and Yousaf will stand in until it is concluded.
Watch Humza Yousaf’s press conference live here as he is expected to resign
Humza Yousaf manages to crack a smile as he walks into Bute House in the rain
Beleaguered SNP leader Humza Yousaf managed to crack a smile as he made his way into Bute House ahead of his ‘resignation’ speech at midday.
Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross claims his party ‘forced Humza Yousaf out’
Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross, who had tabled a motion of no confidence in the First Minister, said his party had ‘forced Humza Yousaf out of office for repeatedly failing Scotland’.
Mr Ross insisted: ‘Faced with our vote of no confidence, the SNP leader has quit rather than face a humiliating defeat.’
While the Tory stressed that ‘on a personal level, I wish Humza Yousaf and his family well’ he added that his party ‘cannot forgive the damage he did to families and households across Scotland by raising taxes, letting NHS waiting lists spiral and attacking free speech’.
Mr Ross continued: ‘The next First Minister must abandon the nationalist obsession with independence and focus solely on Scotland’s top priorities, such as creating jobs and improving our ailing public services.’
Moment Keir Starmer slams SNP’s ‘absolute chaos’ as he calls for election
This is the moment Keir Starmer called for a general election in Scotland following the ‘absolute chaos’ in the wake of the collapse of the SNP and Green powersharing deal.
Breaking:Humza Yousaf arrives in Edinburgh ahead of ‘resignation’ speech
Embattled Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf has arrived in Edinburgh’s Bute House ahead his ‘resignation’ speech at midday.
MailOnline readers – ‘He’s made a complete mess of every position he’s had’
MailOnline readers have delivered a damning verdict on Humza Yousaf’s premiership amid widespread speculation he will resign as Scotland’s First Minister in a statement at Bute House this afternoon.
Here is a selection of comments we have highlighted.
He’s made a complete mess of every position he has had , sturgeon recommended him because she knew he wouldn’t dig too deeply into her past actions.
I hope someone is helping him write his resignation letter as he is so USELESS he will probably mess that up. Time for an Election in Scotland.
Humza Yousaf should resign he’s lost the confidence of the Scottish people with his anti Scottish people’s policy’s.
It must be very embarrassing being Scottish at the moment – David Thomas
‘Are you resigning today?’ Humza Yousaf ignores reporters as he leaves home to make ‘resignation’ speech
Humza Yousaf ignored questions about his potiential resignation today as he left his home near Dundee.
The Scottish First Minister is due to make a speech at Bute House in Edinburgh at midday where it is widely expected he will resign.
Who could be Scotland’s new First Minister as Humza Yousaf ‘prepares to quit’?
Humza Yousaf is on the brink of quitting as Scotland’s First Minister after little more than a year in Bute House.
The SNP leader prompted an extraordinary meltdown by sacking the Scottish Greens as his power-sharing partners at Holyrood.
But Mr Yousaf was then left facing the real possibility of losing a no confidence vote in the Scottish Parliament after the Greens turned against him.
Read the full post below.
Humza Yousaf – the trailblazing leader whose career appears to be in tatters
Humza Yousaf broke new ground when he was appointed Scotland’s First Minister on March 29 last year.
After defeating his SNP rival Kate Forbes in a leadership contest with 52 per cent of the vote, his premiership marked the first time an ethnic minority leader had taken control of a devolved government as well as becoming the first Muslim to lead a major British political party.
The then 38-year-old was also the youngest person to serve as Scotland First Minister. He was elected to enter Holyrood in 2011 when he was 26 – the youngest MSP to be enter the Scottish Parliament.
During his political career he served under his predecessor Nicola Sturgeon as justice secretary from 2018 to 2021 and then as health secretary from 2021 to 2023.
In October last year, Mr Yousaf revealed his wife Nadia’s parents, Elizabeth and Maged El-Nakla, were trapped in Gaza during Hamas’ conflict with Israel as they visited family.
Keir Starmer calls for a general election in Scotland following ‘absolute chaos’
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said that the situation with Humza Yousaf and the SNP is ‘absolute chaos’ and called for a ‘fresh start’ in Scotland.
‘I despair at the situation in Scotland – it’s absolute chaos now from the Scottish parliament, from the SNP. So you’ve got chaos in the Scottish parliament, chaos in the Westminster parliament,’ Sir Keir said.
He said the Scottish People have been ‘fundamentally let down’ and ‘all the SNP can offer is chaos’.
He added: ‘We’ve got to turn the page on this now – we need that general election and a fresh start.’
‘We face a difficult day’, SNP veteran and former deputy First Minister John Swinney says
Former Scottish deputy First Minister John Swinney said they face a ‘difficult day’ as Humza Yousaf is expected to resign at midday.
Mr Swinney, who served as deputy under Nicola Sturgeon and has been toutted as a potiential caretaker leader, was asked about current events in Scottish politics as he appeared at an event held by the Resolution Foundation on 25 years of devolution.
‘We face a difficutl day today,’ the former deputy First Minister said.
‘The First Minister is going to make a statement later on today, I think it is best if I let the First Minister speak for himself.’
Asked if we would want to be first minister, Mr Swinney, who has been in the Scottish Parliament since it was established in 1999, he said it was a ‘very demanding role’.
He added: ‘I will consider what the First Minister says and reflect on that. I may well have more to say at a later stage during the week.’
Humza Yousaf pictured leaving his home before midday statement
Embattled Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf was pictured two leaving his home near Dundee before he is expected to resign at midday.
The SNP leader will give a press conference at Bute House in Edinburgh to address ‘his future’ following the chaotic breakup of his party’s powerhsaring deal with the Scottish Green Party.
Moment Green co-leader slammed Humza Yousaf’s ‘very poor judgement’
This is the moment that Green co-leader Lorna Slater slammed Humza Yousaf’s ‘very poor judgement’ in collapsing the powersharing deal.
‘We saw off Sturgeon and now Yousaf’ – Scottish Conservatives claim victory
Leader of the Scottish Conservatives, Douglas Ross, has claimed Humza Yousaf’s resignation as a victory – despite him not having stepped down.
The First Minister is set to give a press conference at Bute House ‘on his future’ at midday but it is widely expected that he will resign.
The Scottish Tories tabled a motion of no confidence in Yousaf last Thursday.
He added that that his party will ‘work to remove this entire rotten SNP Government from office’.
Humza Yousaf to make statement at Bute House
Embalttled SNP leader Humza Yousaf will give a press conference at Bute House at high noon, it has been confirmed.
It is widely expected he announce his resignation at the official residence of the Scottish First Minister in Edinburgh’s Charlotte Square.
Watch: BBC reports Humza Yousaf is likely to resign
Speculation surrounding Mr Yousaf’s political future went into overdrive earlier this morning as the BBC reported his resignation was now likely following pressure over the weekend in the wake of the SNP’s collapsed power sharing agreement with the Greens.
If Humza Yousaf resigns – what happens next?
It is highly anticipated Scotland’s First Minister Humza Yousaf will announce his resignation in a statement expected at midday.
If that happens, the Scottish Parliament has 28 days to choose a successor with members or MSPs responsible for nominating a new candidate.
As the party with the largest representation in Holyrood, it is conventionally the SNP which will decide a new candidate. Scotland’s former deputy First Minister John Swinney and Kate Forbes, Mr Yousaf’s opponent in his leadership election, have already emerged as erly frontrunners.
All nominees are given the opportunity to argue their case before MSPs vote for their preferred candidate. If members can agree on a new First Minister they are then recommended to King Charles for appointment.
If not then parliament must be dissolved with a new election called.
Touted SNP caretaker leader says ‘wait to hear what First Minister has to say’
The SNP’s John Swinney, who has been touted as a caretaker leader, said: ‘There’s a lot to happen today, and we’ll wait to hear what the First Minister’s got to say later on today.’
Breaking:Humza Yousaf to give a press conference at midday
The SNP has confirmed Humza Yousaf will give a press conference on his future at midday, according to reports.
It is widely expected he will resign after the catasrophic break up of the Scottish Green Party and SNP powersharing agreement.
Yousaf ‘showed very poor judgement to suddenly collapse a pro-independence majority government’, says Green co-leader
Labour calls for Scottish election amid SNP chaos
Labour’s deputy national campaign coordinator Ellie Reeves has called for an election in Scotlad amid the SNP chaos.
She told Sky New: ‘No-one voted for Humza Yousaf and given all of the chaos I think there should be an election up in Scotland so that people in Scotland can have their say on what’s happening up there.
‘At the moment they are being failed by an SNP government in Holyrood and a Conservative Government in Westminster.’
There are ‘rumours’ Yousaf is considering stepping down, SNP MSP has said
SNP MSP Michelle Thomson told BBC Radio Scotland on Monday morning that she has heard ‘rumours’ he is considering stepping down.
Ms Thomson, who was part of Kate Forbes’ campaign for leadership last year, said: ‘I’m hearing the same rumours (that the First Minister is considering stepping down) and I think we’re all waiting to see what the actual position is.
‘I guess the rumours suggest that something is afoot, but I honestly can’t clarify because I’ve had no update nor, as I understand, have my MSP group, so I guess we’ll all hear definitively one way or another this morning.’
Ms Thomson went on to describe the First Minister as an ‘honourable man’ who is ‘well liked’ within the SNP Holyrood group.
‘Humza Yousaf set to quit today’, according to reports
Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf will ‘quit today’ ahead of the two no confidence votes due later this week, acording to the reports.
A senior SNP source has told the Daily Record that Mr Yousaf will resign today amid the huge pressure to secure support from outside his party.
Analysis: Keir Starmer could be the big winner in the SNP meltdown
The latest phase of the SNP meltdown is likely to have one big winner – Keir Starmer, writes MailOnline’s political editor James Tapsfield.
Up until 2015, when Labour was put to the sword by the separatists, it dominated north of the border.
But in 2019 the party secured just two constituencies.
Sir Keir is hoping a swathe of seats in Scotland can help bolster his chances of a majority at the general election – as used to be the case for Tony Blair.
Scottish Labour has already been in resurgence under its chief Anas Sarwar.
The long-running police probe into the SNP’s finances has undoubtedly helped Mr Sarwar claw back ground.
The prospect of a Labour government at Westminster also helps, as they become seen as the best option for the strong anti-Tory vote in Scotland.
Labour insiders say with every extra percentage of support in Scotland, more constituencies come into play as the SNP’s margins of victory were relatively small in 2019.
Humza Yousaf’s best bet to save his skin is Alba Party MSP Ash Regan
The most likely candidate he faced the chance of converting was Ash Regan, the sole MSP in Alex Salmond’s Alba Party.
Mr Yousaf previously described her departure from the SNP in October last year as ‘no great loss’.
Ms Regan, a former SNP leadership rival to Mr Yousaf, wrote to him with a list of priorities over the weekend, including ‘defending the rights of women and children’. That is thought to mean accepting the results of the Cass review, which criticised gender therapies, in full.
Alba Party MP Kenny MacAskill told the BBC the party is open for ‘discussions’.
He said: ‘If Humza Yousaf resigns that a personal tragedy for him, but it’s a rather absurd situation when there is an opportunity to get back in the Independence track.
‘It is a matter for him. He has brought this about with his own actions and he will stand or fall on it. The position of the Alba Party is quite clear. We are happy to enter into discussions. It is not a blank cheque. We are not guaranteeing our support.’
Humza Yousaf needs to convince one opposition MSP to hold onto power
The SNP leader, who took over from Ms Sturgeon in March 2023, is facing two votes of no confidence, one in him personally from the Tories and another in his government from Labour.
Excluding the presiding officer there are 128 MSPs in total, but the SNP only has 63 votes while the other opposition parties have 65.
Over the weekend Mr Yousaf has been exploring options to convince one of the opposition party MSPs to vote to save his government.
If he managed to get to 64 votes and tie the vote, the presiding officer would back the status quo, so he would be able to hold on.
Nicola Sturgeon’s longtime deputy Jon Swinney ‘to become new interim leader’
Veteran Sturgeon ally John Swinney is said to have been approached by senior party figures to become an interim First Minister if Mr Yousaf is forced from office.
Humza Yousaf ‘has broken trust’ with Scottish Green Party, says co-leader Patrick Harvie
Co-leader of the Scottish Green Party Patrick Harvie has said he ‘bears no personal ill will’ towards the SNP leader but added that he ‘has broken trust’ with his party.
He said ‘I do want to say there is a human impact to all of this – a human element. I don’t bear Humza Yousaf personal ill will or malice in any way at all. I take no pleasure at all – none of us in the Greens do – in the turbulence and chaos of the last weel or two.
‘But it is clear that Humza Yousaf, in the decision that he made last week, has broken trust with the Scottish Greens and cannot command a majority in Parliament’.
Welcome to MailOnline’s live coverage of the SNP crisis that could see Humza Yousaf resign
Follow our Live Blog as we will be providing live updates on the situation in Holyrood as First Minister Humza Yousaf’s political career hangs by a thread.
The SNP leader is poised to go after failing to drum up enough support to survive a confidence vote.
Mr Yousaf has been frantically wooing MSPs over the weekend, but appears to have concluded there is no way of surviving.
Allies have been suggesting the SNP leader will not ‘do a deal with the devil’ by agreeing terms with Alex Salmond, whose Alba Party potentially holds the balance at Holyrood.
Defeat would risk sparking a snap election in Scotland, with the separatists fearing big losses to Labour.
It would be a dramatic fall for Mr Yousaf, who took over from Nicola Sturgeon barely a year ago.
After he summarily ditched the Greens from the Bute House coalition deal – and publicly humiliated them by making them do a walk of shame in view of cameras – they pledged to back a no confidence motion tabled by the Tories.
It was expected go to a vote later this week.
Key Updates
Humza Yousaf believed ending the Bute House agreement was ‘right for the country’
Humza Yousaf arrives in Edinburgh ahead of ‘resignation’ speech
If Humza Yousaf resigns – what happens next?
Humza Yousaf to give a press conference at midday
Analysis: Keir Starmer could be the big winner in the SNP meltdown
Humza Yousaf ‘has broken trust’ with Scottish Green Party, says co-leader Patrick Harvie
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Humza Yousaf latest updates: Watch live as SNP leader resigns in Bute House address