This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . The next check for changes will be

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-scotland-68918348

The article has changed 25 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 2 Version 3
Humza Yousaf latest updates: Scotland's first minister to resign 'as early as Monday' - BBC News Humza Yousaf live updates: Scotland's first minister to resign 'as early as Monday' - BBC News
(32 minutes later)
Kenny MacAskill, the East Lothian MP who served as Scotland's justice secretary before moving to Westminster and defecting to Alba, told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland that Alba’s only MSP Ash Regan has been back in contact with the first minister. James Cook
He said Alba's demands had not changed, but no meeting has been put in place yet. Scotland Editor, BBC News
MacAskill said it would be an “absurd situation” for Yousaf to resign when there was an “opportunity for the SNP to get back on the independence track” through a pact with Alba. As soon as Humza Yousaf ejected the Scottish
However, he said the Alba party was not there to simply “prop up” the SNP. Greens from his government, he set the clock ticking on a race to find support
He said the party was ready for an election but added: “It’s probably not what the Scottish people want.” to sustain him in office.
None of his options was particularly
attractive.
He could have struck a deal
with Alex Salmond’s Alba party but, I was told in robust terms, that was a
non-starter. There was no way that Yousaf wanted to be beholden to the
former SNP leader, a man who is currently taking legal action against
the Scottish government after its mishandling of harassment complaints against him.
Yousaf did try, and fail, to win back the
Scottish Greens, trying to persuade them to support his minority government.
But Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater were insulted by the manner of their
dismissal from Bute House, furious about the potential impact on environmental
and social policy, and resolute that Yousaf, not necessarily the SNP, had to
go.
Finally, he could have tried to face down the
Greens and Alba, without offering any concessions or assurances, daring them to
bring down a fellow pro-independence politician. That was seen as an
unattractive, and potentially humiliating, option.
The clock had run out —the only other path
that remained was to quit.
FacebookFacebook
TwitterTwitter
ShareView more share optionsShare this postCopy this linkRead more about these links.ShareView more share optionsShare this postCopy this linkRead more about these links.
Copy this linkCopy this link