Humza Yousaf has served as first minister since March last year (Picture: PA)
Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf will announce his resignation today rather than face two votes of no confidence this week, according to reports.
The SNP leader has seen his authority crumble in the days since he decided to withdraw his government from a political partnership with the Scottish Greens.
Within hours of the first minister’s announcement on April 25 – which brought an end to a complicated alliance between the two independence-supporting parties – the Conservatives had tabled a vote of no confidence.
Still smarting from the bitter break-up, the Greens said they would not lend Mr Yousaf their backing if the vote went ahead.
On the Radio 4 Today programme this morning, co-leader Patrick Harvie reiterated that his party had not changed its position.
He said: ‘I don’t think Humza Yousaf any more is in a position to be able to lead.
‘I don’t think there is anything that Humza Yousaf will be able to say to restore the trust he has broken.’
With his erstwhile partners giving him the thumbs down, Mr Yousaf was left needing a single MSP from a party other than the SNP to back his leadership.
In a spectacular twist of fate, that MSP was Ash Regan, who had fought against the now-first minister in the race to replace Nicola Sturgeon as SNP leader following her shock resignation in February 2023.
After losing, Ms Regan defected to Alba, the party led by former first minister Alex Salmond which is largely populated by independence supporters upset about the SNP’s direction on policies such as trans rights.
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