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HUMZA'S ASH IS ON THE LINE
Scottish Greens WILL go against Humza Yousaf in confidence vote – with FM’s fate in hands of RIVAL Ash Regan
Humza Yousaf is battling to save his political career
HUMZA Yousaf faces having to strike a deal with the Alba MSP he bad-mouthed just months ago in order to save his job as First Minister.
The SNP leader may need the support of Ash Regan in a knife-edge confidence vote, after his decision to end the power-sharing deal with the Greens appeared to blow up in his face yesterday.
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Former Scottish Government minister Ms Regan quit the Nats for Alex Salmond’s Alba last October amid a row over indy tactics and gender self-ID.
Mr Yousaf responded by branding her as “no great loss”.
But now Ms Regan’s vote could determine whether he survives a confidence vote as early as Tuesday — which could leave him humiliated and with little option but to quit.
The twist came after a dramatic day that started with Mr Yousaf axing the SNP-Green power-sharing deal, in place since 2021.
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That sparked a ferocious response from the Greens — already furious about axed Scottish Government climate targets and a pause on drug treatment for trans children.
Their co-leader Lorna Slater said: “Humza Yousaf has signalled that when it comes to political cooperation, he can no longer be trusted.”
Later, the Scottish Tories said they had lodged a motion of no confidence, which could be voted on as soon as Tuesday.
Labour and the Lib Dems signalled they would back it, and the Greens also said they too would try to vote out Mr Yousaf.
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This would mean a 64-63 defeat — not counting Ms Regan’s vote. If she backs Mr Yousaf, he would survive.
Ex-First Minister Mr Salmond said Mr Yousaf had made his party’s sole MSP, Ms Regan, the “most powerful MSP in the Scottish Parliament”.
He added: “She will use that power very wisely indeed to progress the cause of independence and to protect the rights of women and to try and find a way to restore confidence within the Scottish Government, which has been so badly lacking recently.”
But even if Mr Yousaf loses he will not be forced to resign.
Only no confidence motions in the government, rather than just the First Minister, legally require the resignation of the person at the top of the Scottish Government.
But a Scots Tory source poured cold water on the possibility the SNP leader could struggle on, saying that suggestion was “for the birds”.
Mr Yousaf scrapped the coalition with the Greens at an early-morning meeting with co-leaders Patrick Harvie and Ms Slater.
But the decision backfired when Mr Harvie later said: “If the parliament is asked one specific question next week, do we have confidence in the First Minister Humza Yousaf, the Greens have to answer no.”
He attacked what he called a “random last minute change of heart” and said he was worried key policies such as rent controls would now be “ditched, delayed, or watered down”. He added: “[Mr Yousaf has done a complete U-turn on what he said and broken trust with a political party that was doing its best to constructively work with him and he’s to own the consequences of that decision.”
And Scottish Greens were told by their MSPs that the SNP had “ended what is fundamentally a confidence agreement” and Mr Yousaf had “capitulated to conservative forces within his party”.
Ms Regan will today write to Mr Yousaf with her list of demands, which is understood to include action on independence and the government’s commitment to bring in all of the recommendations of the Cass review into children’s gender care.
Scottish Government sources refused to confirm if Mr Yousaf would stand down as First Minister if he lost a no confidence vote.
Three years of turmoil
MAY 6, 2021: Scottish election takes place. SNP returns 64 MSPs, just one short of overall majority.
MAY 26, 2021: Nicola Sturgeon announces her minority government is in talks with the Greens about working together.
AUGUST 28, 2021: Green members back a deal with the SNP — The Bute House Agreement — with plans for Mr Harvie and Ms Slater to be ministers.
AUGUST 30: 2021: Press conference at Bute House. The deal ensures Green MSPs will back the SNP in any confidence votes in parliament, as well as ensuring budgets pass.
NOVEMBER 16, 2021: Ms Sturgeon declares the proposed Cambo oil field off Shetland “should not get the green light”, having previously stopped short of opposing it.
MARCH 25, 2023: After shock resignation of Ms Sturgeon as First Minister, Humza Yousaf, Kate Forbes and Ash Regan bid to succeed her. Greens warn they will quit government if the new First Minister does not share their “progressive values”.
APRIL 6, 2024: Greens promise to fight a record 32 seats at next election. Mr Yousaf claims voting Green would be “wasted vote”, as he seeks to shore up support for SNP.
APRIL 18, 2024: Scottish Government confirms it is scrapping targets for cutting greenhouse gas emissions. Mr Harvie is left “angry and disappointed”. Scotland’s NHS also says it will no longer prescribe puberty blockers to kids.
APRIL 19, 2024: Ms Slater says Greens will get vote on future of the Bute House Agreement.
APRIL 23, 2024: Mr Harvie says he will quit if members vote to scrap the deal. He warns leaving government would be a “mistake”. Mr Yousaf says he hopes the agreement “will continue”.
APRIL 25, 2024: Mr Yousaf summons Mr Harvie and Ms Slater to Bute House where they are told of his decision to rip up power-sharing
Earlier, Mr Yousaf told a hastily organised press conference the co-called Bute House Agreement power deal had “undoubtedly brought a number of successes” but “the balance has shifted”.
He added: “It is no longer guaranteeing a stable arrangement in Parliament. The events of recent days have made that clear.
“Therefore, after careful consideration, I believe going forward it is in the best interests of the people of Scotland to pursue a different arrangement.”
He also rejected accusations the decision was weak and that he should hand over the reins to his defeated leadership rival Kate Forbes.
Ms Forbes later confirmed she would back the First Minister in a vote of no confidence.
The decision to ditch the Greens was sparked by their decision to give their members a vote on the deal with the SNP.
Insiders claimed that ended the “stability” the deal promised when it was agreed by Nicola Sturgeon in 2021. And despite claims the decision to ditch the Greens was “enthusiastically” backed by the cabinet, sources claimed some ministers were furious and had started talking about “when, not if,” Mr Yousaf leaves office.
A senior Scottish Government source said: “If you are going to be in a precarious position you need to be together. And we are not together, far from it.”
Meanwhile veteran SNP MSP Fergus Ewing, who was suspended from the party for failing to back Ms Slater in a confidence vote, said he would now support Mr Yousaf.
He said the First Minister has “a real opportunity to change, to turn over a fresh page, to do a spring clean of policies and programmes”.
Firebrand SNP MP and Mr Yousaf critic Joanna Cherry attacked the Greens’ response as a “childish undignified silly rant and called their criticism “performative nonsense”.
During FMQs Mr Yousaf faced jeers and laughter from opposition benches as he tried to defend the decision to ditch the Greens.
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar demanded Mr Yousaf call an election immediately.
He said: “The First Minister is claiming that this is a sign of strength but for once people agree with Lorna Slater: he is weak, hopeless and untrustworthy.
“The challenges facing our country have never been so great, but Scotland’s Government has never been so poor and its leadership has never been so weak.”
Even Harry Potter author JK Rowling got in on the jibes.
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In a post on X/Twitter, she wrote: “The idea that Humza Yousaf’s political fate may now lie in the hands of Ash Regan, the woman who left the SNP in disgust at its plans for gender self-ID, reminds me...”
There was then a picture of a karma tarot card, which read: “They say karma’s a bitch, but I hear she’s a terf.”