Embattled Scottish first minister Humza Yousaf is reportedly considering resigning as his premiership hangs by a thread ahead of a no confidence vote set to take place this week.
The Scottish National Party leader could “call it quits” as early as today after the collapse of his power-sharing agreement with the Scottish Greens last week, senior SNP officials said.
The 39-year-old, who now runs a minority administration at Holyrood, sacked the Greens on Thursday and they have joined the opposition in confirming they will vote to oust him.
He reportedly rejected a potential agreement with the Alba Party under Alex Salmond as “doing a deal with the devil” and “knows it’s time for someone else” to lead his party, sources said.
He would need the support of at least one member of the opposition at Holyrood to survive the vote, which could take place as early as Wednesday.
The Scottish Conservatives, Labour and the Liberal Democrats have already said they will vote against him. The Greens are due to meet later on Monday but have repeatedly ruled out supporting him in the personal vote.
Patrick Harvie, the leader of the Scottish Greens, has reiterated calls for Scotland’s First Minister to stand down.
Humza Yousaf is facing a no-confidence vote after walking away from the SNP’s power-sharing deal with the Scottish Greens last Thursday.
“I don’t think Humza Yousaf any more is in a position to be able to lead”, Mr Harvie told the Radio 4 Today programme, adding: “I don’t think there is anything that Humza Yousaf will be able to say to restore the trust he has broken.”
The confidence motion was tabled after Mr Yousaf, who replaced the once dominant Nicola Sturgeon, ended the Bute House agreement, which saw the SNP and Greens cooperate on climate and other policies.
After the May 2021 Scottish parliament election, the SNP – then led by Ms Sturgeon – emerged as the largest party but failed to win an overall majority.
The Scottish Greens saw their best-ever result with eight MSPs, enough to give the two pro-independence parties a working majority at Holyrood.
Negotiations began soon after the election and the deal cleared its final hurdle at the end of August 2021 when Green members voted to approve it – with 1,169 members (83 per cent) backing the deal, 234 voting against and nine abstaining.
The Bute House Agreement takes its name from the first minister’s official residence in Edinburgh, where the draft deal was signed.
First minister ‘considering resigning’
Scottish first minister Humza Yousaf is “considering resigning” in the face of a no confidence vote set to take place this week.
The Scottish National Party leader could “call it quits” as early as today after the collapse of his power-sharing agreement with the Scottish Greens last week, senior SNP sources said.
The 39-year-old, who now runs a minority administration at Holyrood, sacked the Greens on Thursday and they have joined the opposition in confirming they will vote to oust him.
Alexander Butler29 April 2024 07:54
