Humza Yousaf latest news: SNP leader RESIGNS as First Minister after deciding he was unable to repair Scotland’s ‘political divide’ as former deputy John Swinney emerges as early favourite to take over

Downing Street has said the UK government would will work with Mr Yousaf’s successor to deliver on ‘the real issues that matter to people’.

The Prime Minister’s spokesman said: ‘When the First Minister came to office he and the Prime Minister talked about wanting to work together to focus on the real issues that matter to people.

‘I haven’t, obviously, seen the news that you’ve reported on, but clearly if that’s the case, the UK Government will work with the new administration to the same end, which is working together to deliver for people in Scotland, whether it’s growing the economy, delivering jobs, enhancing energy security.

‘For most people, they don’t want to be distracted by the ins and outs of politics, they want to see their governments working together to deliver on their priorities.’

Keith Brown, MSP for Clacks and Dunblane, paid tribute to Humza Yousaf’s ‘energy, ethusiasm and integrity’ in a post on X as he backed John Swinney to take over the leadership.

Ian Blackford, the former Westminster leader of the Scottish National Party and MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber, said John Swinney ‘has what it takes’ to lead the SNP.

Speaking to the BBC, he said: ‘He certainly is an individual that I believe carries widespread respect in the party across the Parliament, and indeed the country, a long experience.

‘So I think someone that has operated right through the period of the SNP being in government, of course, as deputy leader under Nicola Sturgeon.

‘I think, if anyone has the qualities, the capabilities to lead us not just in the short term, but right through the electoral cycle, then John has these characteristics.

He continued: ‘In terms of where we are here, and the leadership that we need to show, showing that we can win in the Scottish Parliament, get our legislative programme through, fight the Westminster election and then go into the Scottish election in 2026, John is the man that I think has what it takes to lead us.’

Hamza Yousaf choked up in Bute House as he resigned from his post as First Minister and the leader of the SNP.

Ash Regan, who leads the Alba Party in Holyrood, has said it is ‘bizarre’ that some SNP MSPs would rather he resigned from the top post than do a deal with the pro-independence party.

The former SNP politician said: ‘The irony will not be lost on many that the event that has cost Humza Yousaf his job was removing the Greens from Government- something most people in Scotland agreed with.

‘Alba Party were willing to work in the best interests of Scotland to put independence back at the heart of Government, protect the rights of women and girls, and to get the Government back onto a competent footing.

‘The Greens were willing to vote with the Tories and bizarrely some forces in Humza Yousaf’s own party would rather see him resign than deal with a party who really want to advance Independence.

‘However, a new SNP leader and a new first minister will not change parliamentary arithmetic. I continue to stand ready to work in the best interests of Scotland and to advance the cause of Scottish independence.’

Former deputy first minister John Swinney has released a statement on X following the resignation of Humza Yousaf.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar thanked Mr Yousaf for his public service and wished him and his family the best for the future.

However, he said: ‘Scotland faces the biggest challenges since devolution but it now has a dysfunctional, chaotic and divided SNP government.

‘All this at a time when our country needs strong leadership to get us through the twin challenges of the economic crisis and the crisis in our NHS.

‘The SNP are a divided party which is out of ideas and incapable of rising to the challenges Scotland faces.

‘They cannot impose another unelected First Minister on Scotland in a backroom deal, the people of Scotland should decide who leads our country. There must be an election – it’s time for change and Scottish Labour is ready to deliver it.’

The party’s co-leader, Patrick Harvie, said the development was ‘regrettable’ but welcomed the ‘personal responsibility’ Mr Yousaf has taken.

He said: ‘Humza Yousaf is right to resign. His position was no longer tenable after he broke the bonds of trust with the Scottish Greens and with everyone who wanted a stable, progressive, pro-independence government. It is regrettable that it has ended this way, it didn’t need to. We draw no satisfaction or pleasure from this.

‘But the Scottish Greens could no longer have confidence in Humza Yousaf after he chose to unilaterally end the Bute House Agreement. In doing so he let down the large majority of Scottish Green and SNP members who approved the agreement who wanted it to work.

‘He chose to end a stable majority government and jeopardised the progressive policy programme that both parties had committed to and were working to deliver.

‘It is to his credit that he has taken personal responsibility. Now though is the time to return to some stability.’

Mr Jack said: ‘It was the right thing for the First Minister to resign.

‘Humza Yousaf’s leadership has lurched from crisis to crisis from the very start, and he could not command the confidence of the Scottish Parliament.

‘Scotland now needs a stable, functioning Scottish Government focused on the issues that matter most to people – fixing public services and growing the economy.’

Mr Swinney, 60, was deputy first minister to Nicola Sturgeon and has served as an MSP since the Scottish Parliament’s inception in 1999, serving North Tayside, and previously representing the same constituency at Westminster in 1997.

He previously led his party in Holyrood between 2000 and 2004 during the SNP’s time on the opposition benches and has held a raft of cabinet positions, including education and finance and resigned at the same time as Ms Sturgeon.

He ruled himself out of the 2023 leadership race, stating he had to put his young family first. However, the SNP politician could take the reigns to unite his party in a time of turmoil.

Outgoing Scottish First Minister said he ‘believed’ breaking up the Bute House agreement with the Green Party was the ‘right decision’ for the SNP and the country during his resignation speech.

Mr Yousaf had planned to move the SNP into a ‘new phase’ of governance that would maintain power by entering a ‘less formal’ deal with the Greens.

However, he admitted he ‘underestmated’ the anger this would cause in the Greens.

He said: ‘My hope was to continue working with the Greens in a less formal arrangement as the SNP moved into a new phase of minority governmen.

‘Unfortunately in ending the Bute House Agreement in the matter I did I clearly underestimate the level of hurt and upset that caused Green colleagues.

‘For a minority government to be able to govern effectively trust when working with the opposition is clearly fundamental.’

First Minister Humza Yousaf has said he had ‘underestimated’ the level of hurt ending the power-sharing deal with the Greens would have.

While he said it was ‘the right decision’, he said: ‘Unfortunately in ending the Bute House Agreement in the matter I did I clearly underestimate the level of hurt and upset that caused Green colleagues.

‘For a minority government to be able to govern effectively trust when working with the opposition is clearly fundamental.’

He added a route through the no-confidence vote was ‘absolutely possible’.

But he added: ‘I am not willing to trade in my values or principles or do deals with whomever simply for retaining power.’

Humza Yousaf has announced he is stepping down as First Minister for Scotland.

Speaking at Bute House just after noon on Tuesday, Mr Yousaf said he made the decision in order to ‘repair our relationship across the political divide’ in Scotland.

He will continue to serve as First Minister in the interim until a suitable replacement is found.

During a press conference at Bute House, he told reporters: ‘After spending the weekend reflecting on what is best for my party, for the government and for the country I lead, I have concluded that repairing our relationship across the political divide can only be done with someone else at the helm.

‘I have therefore informed the SNP’s national secretary of my intention to stand down as party leader and ask that she commences a leadership contest for my replacement as soon as possible.’

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, 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.’

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.

Embattled Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf has arrived in Edinburgh’s Bute House ahead his ‘resignation’ speech at midday.

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

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.

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 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.

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.’

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.’

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.

This is the moment that Green co-leader Lorna Slater slammed Humza Yousaf’s ‘very poor judgement’ in collapsing the powersharing deal.

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’.

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.

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.

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.

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.’

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.

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.’

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.

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.

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.

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.’

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.

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.

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’.

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.