Humza Yousaf resigns as Scotland's first minister | ITV News

ham yusf spoke of the brutal business of politics today as he announced he's standing down as Scotland's first Minister after just over a year in charge he admitted he' underestimated the hurt he caused by ending the ruling snp's po sharing deal with the Scottish greens last week well that move led to calls for no confidence vote in him and survival means meant doing a deal with other parties now speaking in Edinburgh the first Minister said he wasn't willing to trade his values to hang on to power the damage he said could only be repaired by someone else at the helm well in a moment we'll look at what this means for polit politics in Scotland and indeed the UK but first is our Scotland reporter Lise Scott on the announcement and what happens next to everyone else it was clear his time was over the last step for the first Minister was admitting it unfortunately in ending the but house agreement in the manner that I did I clearly underestimated the level of hurt and upset that caused green colleagues I have therefore informed the snp's national Secretary of my intention to stand down as party leader his power move of dumping the Scottish greens from the partnership backfired in spectacular fashion as the party with just seven seats refused to back the first minister in a no confidence vote first elect to the Scottish parliament in 2011 I hamah harun yuo he has held some of the highest roles in government before becoming the first Muslim leader of a UK party but his upward rise hasn't always been smooth sailing and his most recent miscalculation has left his party fighting for control whoever is leading the SNP we now they will need to find somebody's votes for every single vote as a majority government if they want Scottish green votes then they they know what kind of things we want the SNP has 28 days to elect a new leader someone who can get the Scottish greens back on board that's unlikely to be Kate Forbes the runner up in the last leadership battle due to her socially conservative views opposed by the greens a front runner is John swinny the former deputy first Minister who's seen by many as a safe Pair of Hands I'm giving that issue very active consideration and it's likely we have more to say about that in the days to come of course a leadership contest in the year of a general election is already giving ammunition to Westminster what people in Scotland deserve is a government that is focused on what they care about and not constitutional wrangling and obsessing about independence and Scottish labor are calling for an early Hollywood election a time when our country is crying out for serious leadership and a proper functioning government when we have the NHS crisis the economic crisis we instead have a dysfunctional chaotic S&P leading an incompetent government that is failing Scots every day 13 months after taking on the role Hamza yusf rise to the top ended in tears I'm so blessed for having the opportunity that are afforded to so few to lead my country and who could ask for a better country to lead than Scotland as the latest SNP Reign comes to an end the race for a new leader begins again Louis Scott ITV News Edinburgh well the resignation is another huge blow for the SNP a party which has dominated Scottish politics for the past decade and the Fallout from Hamza yousef's departure could also have a big impact on determining the outcome of the next general election here's our correspondent Rachel tanen on the reaction their dominance of Scottish politics was once unrival the party many believed could finally secure Independence but now the SNP leader is on his way out and they're once again reliant on opposition support to surviving government and as they try to repair relationships with opposition parties S&P voters fear their popularity is hanging by a thread where do the SNP go from here I'm not sure in a bit of a sticky situation at the moment um there's no clear serious candidate to take them forward as far as I can see as an S&P voter does that worry you it does yeah um as just I say there's no direction for the party at the moment there's no kind of I can't see a light at the end of the tunnel for them what is the alternative well there isn't many at the moment either going to be a shaky SNP or potentially a labor but I don't think that's a a serious option the SNP gained power under Alex summoned in 2007 four years later they clinch their best ever electoral result becoming Hollywood's first majority government the independence movement was gaining momentum it led to the 2014 referendum and although the nose returned a narrow Victory the result saw Nicholas sturgeon take the Reigns she delivered a string of landslide election victories few could have predicted her demise sturgeon's resignation in 2023 was followed by her arrest rest in June over the snp's funding and finances she was released without charge but votes for the SNP began to Fall Away Hamza yussef was the man to win back confidence he lasted 13 months last week's decision to end the but house agreement with the Scottish greens left him with no option but to go in his constituency of Glasgow Pollock some voters there today were disillusioned so I don't think any SMP can do anything for us to be honest I think we need a new party and whatever party comes in has got a fight in their horns it's a chance for someone else to stand up and do more um within the S&P or a whole change uh within the S&P of course if they survive this crisis they still have work to do they've been in power in Scotland now for well over a decade people are dissatisfied with the Health Service they're dissatisfied with the Education Service there are controversial issues on on climate change and gender identity all these kinds of things the new leader is not going to be in a much more healthy position the old leader to tackle so I think the S&P have got a tricky few months and maybe even years ahead of them the next S&P leader will be decided by party members they'll need a leader who can unite not just voters but those within the party too Rachel towns and ITV News Glasgow well our scholar reporter Louise Scott is an Edinburgh Louise really quite emotional statement from Hamza YF uh earlier on today who do you think is most likely to replace him it was emotional from Hamza yusf at the end there as he ConEd his time as SNP leader but it felt inevitable none of us really were shocked to be in that room today and therefore names are already being put out the last leadership battle runner up was Kate Forbes former Finance secretary but her opposing views on things like gender issues mean means she will not get the backing of the Scottish greens who would John swinny an SNP stalwart former deputy first Minister amongst many roles he's held he is already getting the backing the snp's Westminster leader step Flynn says he would support him other SNP sources have been telling me he is the one they would back and are telling other colleagues to do so he's likely to stay in the next few days whether he will stand but one thing's for sure the S SMP are going to want to do everything can to avoid a toxic leadership battle for the second year in a row L Scott and Edinburgh thank you

Channel: ITV News

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Length: 8min 7sec (487 seconds)

Published: Mon Apr 29 2024