EDINBURGH: Scotland’s first minister Humza Yousaf resigned from office on Monday. The move came after it became clear that he would lose two forthcoming confidence votes.
The votes were called by the opposition after Humza ended the ruling coalition between his Scottish National Party and the Scottish Greens.
Last week, Yousaf abruptly ended a power-sharing agreement between his Scottish National Party (SNP) and the Green Party, in the hopes that he could lead a minority government – but opposition parties have tabled a vote of no confidence.
“I am not willing to trade my values and principles, or do deals with whomever, simply for retaining power,” he said during a televised announcement.
The pro-independence SNP’s fortunes have faltered amid a funding scandal and the resignation of a party leader last year, while there has been infighting over how progressive its pitch should be as it seeks to woo back voters.
Yousaf declared a few days prior that he was “quite confident” he would win the vote of no confidence summoned by political rivals, but by Monday, his invitation to hold negotiations with other parties in an attempt to support his minority government appeared to be eroding.
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Yousaf’s Scottish National Party is facing increasing difficulties as a result of a leadership crisis and a second no-confidence vote against the Scottish government. The party is losing support from the public after leading the Scottish Government for 17 years.
For the first time in ten years, according to polling firm YouGov, the Labour Party has surpassed the SNP in terms of intentions to vote in a Westminster election earlier this month.
The leader of the Scottish Greens, Patrick Harvie, told BBC radio there was nothing Yousaf could say to persuade his party to support the first minister in the parliamentary confidence vote, leaving Yousaf with few options. The vote is due to take place later this week.
A victory for Labour in Scotland in Britain’s next national election – expected later this year – would significantly bolster the party’s chances of taking power from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Conservative Party.
If Yousaf loses, parliament would have 28 days to choose a new first minister before an election is forced.
Former SNP leader John Swinney has been approached by senior party figures to become an interim first minister in the event of Yousaf being forced from office, the Times newspaper said, adding that Swinney was reluctant to step up because of personal circumstances.
Yousaf, who previously held health and justice ministerial briefs in the Scottish Government, succeeded former SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon as first minister in March 2023.
She resigned last year and has since been embroiled in a party funding scandal with her husband, who was charged this month with embezzling funds. Both deny wrongdoing.