A BETTER LIFE AND A BETTER FUTURE

Yousaf channels spirit of Dewar in Holyrood address. New Scots leader promises to be champion of the underdog

- CHRIS McCALL

HUMZA Yousaf invoked the spirit of Donald Dewar yesterday as he was voted in by MSPs to become Scotland's sixth First Minister.

In his acceptance speech at Holyrood, the new SNP leader said he would "strive every minute of every day" to be worthy of the honour of having the top job in Scottish politics.

And he referenced the words of the first man to occupy the office of First Minister in an appeal for unity.

Yousaf told MSPs: "Donald Dewar emphasised, and I quote, 'The common aims that we shared across this chamber of giving people a better life and a better future." The vote in the Scottish Parliament was held after Nicola Sturgeon had written to King Charles yesterday morning to formally tender her resignation as First Minister.

It was a day of change at Holyrood as Sturgeon and John Swinney occupied the backbenches for the first time since 2007 after the Nationalist veterans both quit government.

The next task for Yousaf will see him sworn into office today by judges at the Court of Session in Edinburgh.

He will also finalise his first Cabinet and begin preparations for his debut as SNP leader at First Minister's Questions tomorrow.

Yousaf won the backing of all SNP and Green MSPs at Holyrood to comfortably see off rival nominations from the leaders of Labour, the Conservatives and Lib Dems.