Yousaf quits as first minister after coalition gamble triggers SNP crisis

Veteran Swinney leads race for Holyrood job as party unity candidate

- Severin Carrell Libby Brooks Pippa Crerar

Humza Yousaf quit as Scotland’s fi rst minister yesterday to clear the way for a new leader capable of giving the Scottish National party stability after a series of damaging crises.

During a dramatic day largely orchestrated by party managers, the first minister announced he would step down just as a veteran former leader, John Swinney, quickly emerged as the favourite to succeed him.

Swinney, who had served as Nicola Sturgeon’s deputy until she quit in February 2023, confi rmed he was “giving very careful consideration” to standing as a unity candidate after coming under intense pressure to do so from senior fi gures inside the SNP.

Various bookmakers said they had stopped taking bets on Swinney being the next fi rst minister.

“I’ve been somewhat overwhelmed by the requests that have been made for me to do that, with many, many messages from many colleagues across the party,” he told Sky News. “So I’m giving that issue very active consideration.”

In a hastily arranged speech in Edinburgh. Yousaf admitted that he had triggered the crisis by unilaterally scrapping a coalition deal with the Scottish Greens four days ago, which left the SNP ruling as a minority government.

His decision led to the Greens demanding Yousaf’s resignation and triggered two no-confidence motions tabled by opposition parties, which threatened to bring the Scottish government down.