Humza Yousaf resigns as Scotland's first minister

1. Scottish National Party leader Humza Yousaf quits, triggering a search for a successor and new first minister
2. He said he had "underestimated" the level of hurt after ending a power-sharing deal with the Scottish Greens last week
3. Mr Yousaf says he will stay on as first minister until the SNP chooses his replacement
4. Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar warned the SNP not to "impose another unelected first minister on Scotland"
5. Douglas Ross, Scottish Conservative leader, said Humza Yousaf had "let the people of Scotland down"

The contest to become Scotland's seventh first minister will soon begin after Humza Yousaf announced he is to resign.

The embattled SNP leader, under threat from two motions of no confidence in the Scottish Parliament, confirmed his decision in a statement at Bute House.

It followed the collapse of a power-sharing agreement with the Scottish Greens. Mr Yousaf said he intended to remain as first minister until a new SNP leader is chosen, as was the case when his predecessor Nicola Sturgeon stepped down last year. In the SNP leadership contest that followed, candidates were required to get 100 nominations from at least 20 local party branches.

The winner was decided by members in a ballot using a single transferable vote system. The contest took about a month to complete, before parliament confirmed Mr Yousaf as the nomination to become first minister.

The next SNP leader would then need to seek parliamentary approval to succeed Mr Yousaf as first minister.

Source - BBC News

The Northern Scot

SCOTLAND is set for a new First Minister after SNP leader Humza Yousaf announced his intention to resign.
Mr Yousaf - who took the role on March 29, 2023 - has visited Moray three times since the start of last year.
He visited Elgin, Forres, Fochabers and Lossiemouth and gave a 'cast-iron' guarantee over the dualling of the A96.
After the news broke, Moray's Conservative MP Douglas Ross said Humza Yousaf had "repeatedly failed the people of Moray and Scotland".
Moray's SNP MSP Richard Lochhead described it as a "sad day" for his party and the Scottish Government.