Humza Yousaf set to formally resign as Scotland's First Minister

It will pave the way for John Swinney to take over the top job

Author: Kara ConwayPublished 7th May 2024
Last updated 9th May 2024

It is expected that Humza Yousaf will formally tender his resignation as Scotland's First Minister today.

He will make his final speech in the role to MSPs this afternoon - paving the way for Holyrood to vote on who should take his place.

John Swinney, who was installed unopposed as the new SNP leader on Monday, is expected to win that vote - though with his party not having an overall majority at Holyrood, he will need to rely on MSPs from at least one other party to either back him in the ballot or abstain.

The vote on the new first minister comes after Mr Yousaf announced last Monday he would be stepping down from the role.

That came after his decision to end the powersharing deal between the SNP and Scottish Greens at Holyrood angered the smaller pro-independence party, and left him facing a vote of no confidence in his leadership he was unlikely to win.

Faced with the prospect of defeat, he stepped down from the role, with the SNP forced to find its second leader in just over a year.

Assuming he is voted in by the Scottish Parliament, Mr Swinney will need to be sworn in at the Court of Session in Edinburgh before officially becoming first minister.

He can then get on with the business of appointing his cabinet, before going on to to take First Minister's Questions on Thursday.

He said yesterday he was "deeply honoured" to have been appointed SNP leader, with Mr Swinney also saying he would "give all that I have to serve my party and my country".

It marks the second time he has served as SNP leader - though when he held the role previously between 2000 and 2004 the party was in opposition at Holyrood.

His appointment on Monday, however, will mean that the man who was Scotland's longest serving deputy first minister - a position he held under Nicola Sturgeon - will now take on the top job in Scottish politics.

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