Humza Yousaf has announced that he is stepping down as Scotland’s first minister, just over a year after he was elected. He had been battling for his political survival and was facing a vote of no-confidence after unilaterally terminating the powersharing deal between the Scottish National party and Scottish Greens last week.
What happens next?
The SNP is facing its second shock leadership crisis in less than 18 months, after 20 years of stability and seamless transitions.
Yousaf has said that he will stay in place until a new party leader can be found, following Nicola Sturgeon’s resignation route. When she held a similar press conference last February at Bute House, the official Edinburgh residence of Scottish first ministers, she announced it was her intention to step down, but only submitted her formal resignation as first minister to the king after the conclusion of the SNP’s leadership election, which took six weeks.
Yousaf said he had asked the SNP’s national secretary to commence a leadership election “as soon as possible”. He said he would remain in post until his successor was elected to ensure a “smooth and orderly transition”. Shortly after Yousaf’s statement, the SNP confirmed there would be a meeting of its national executive committee to decide the timetable of the leadership election later this week.
Something potentially really funny since Labour’s VONC is still on the table.
wait what? i have only been half paying attention to this because well paying too much attention to pol makes you and old and bitter man and im trying to debitter. I thought it was Ross (con) that pushed the vonc?
Cons pushed the vote of no confidence on Hamza in the position of first minister
Labour did it in the government
We could potentially see the Scottish goverment collapse, which wouldnt be awful at this point imo. As the snp is in the minority and its unlikely anyone wants to partner up with them any time soon.
Really crazy thing would be a surge of labour seats in the Scottish parliment ahead of a uk general election.
Greens have said that they’re looking forward to negotiating a new agreement with the SNP once they’ve selected a new leader (providing they select one who will negotiate with them, of course). With that in mind, the Greens may be willing to avoid Labour’s VONC on the basis that they want to give the SNP a chance to select their new leader first.
Snp have been a minority government in the past so that may happen again
Personally speaking on the labour front I still haven’t forgiven “Better a nutter than a nat”
Corbyn while a twat made some noises I liked Tier has undone any interest for me with them.
I may be forced to go back to voting for my neighbours son the independent.