A NEW BEGINNING OR THE BEGINNING OF THE END?

Yousaf's job hangs by a thread after pact with Greens is torn up | Fate lies in hands of his leadership adversary-SNP defector Ash Regan

- PAUL HUTCHEON and CHRIS McCALL

HUMZA Yousaf's reign as First Minister hung in the balance last night after his move to dump the Greens out of government sparked a bid to bring him down.

The SNP leader faces a motion of no confidence next week at Holyrood and his former Green allies are backing the plan to end his 13-month long tenure in Bute House.

Furious Green co-leader Patrick Harvie said: "Humza Yousaf has decided to burn his bridges" Yousaf's fate is now in the hands of Alba MSP Ash Regan, the former SNP leadership rival whose party leader is ex-first minister Alex Salmond.

Former SNP leader Salmond said Yousaf would have to meet Alba's demands, otherwise he would be known as "Humza the Brief".

The Record broke the story yesterday of how Yousaf had ripped up the three-year old Bute House agreement with the Scottish Greens.

He opted for a minority government after the junior partners decided to give all their members a vote on the powersharing deal next month.

It is understood powerful SNP figures such as former deputy first minister John Swinney, its Westminster leader Stephen Flynn and cabinet colleagues urged him to act.

At a dramatic press conference at his Bute House residence, Yousaf said the power-sharing deal had delivered successes but claimed: "It is now my judgement that the balance has shifted.