Scotland's first minister Yousaf steps down after a year

Humza Yousaf has announced his resignation as Scotland's first minister, before he was due to face two confidence votes this week.

The 39-year-old quit on Monday following a turbulent year as head of the devolved administration, during which support for his pro-independence Scottish National Party (SNP) has fallen.

Yousaf had been facing growing calls to resign since unceremoniously ending the SNP's power-sharing deal with the Scottish Greens in the Scottish parliament last week.

His government had earlier abandoned ambitious targets for the transition to net-zero carbon emissions, angering the Greens.

The opposition Scottish Conservatives then lodged a vote of no-confidence in Yousaf, which was due to be held as early as Wednesday and which the first minister was at risk of losing.

Scottish Labour also lodged another no-confidence vote in his government.

The Tories, Labour, Liberal Democrats and Greens had all said they would vote against him in the personal vote, forcing him to seek the backing of the sole lawmaker from the pro-independence Alba party.

Alba's Ash Regan is a former SNP colleague of Yousaf who ran against him in the March 2023 leadership election to succeed Nicola Sturgeon as first minister.

Yousaf — the first Muslim leader of a major UK political party — said in a statement that he thought winning was "absolutely possible".

But he added that he was "not willing to trade in my values or principles or do deals with whomever simply for retaining power".

He added: "I have concluded that repairing our relationships across the political divide can only be done with someone else at the helm."

Divisions

Yousaf's pro-independence SNP has 63 members in the 129-seat parliament — two short of a majority. The presiding officer has a casting vote.

Yousaf initially said he had no intention of quitting and intended to win the confidence votes.

But following his announcement, parliament now has 28 days to choose a new first minister.

He only became Scotland's leader 13 months ago, after Sturgeon sensationally announced she was quitting, citing tiredness after eight years in charge.

Yousaf defeated Kate Forbes and Regan in a bruising conte st that highlighted divisions in the party between those on the left wing and others closer to the right.

His leadership was quickly plunged into turmoil when Sturgeon was arrested with her husband, Peter Murrell, over claims of mismanagement of SNP finances.

Murrell was charged in the case earlier this month. Sturgeon has not been charged.