- Sunday, May 12, 2024
He also hinted at the possibility of an early Scottish election
By: Pramod Thomas
FIRST MINISTER Humza Yousaf has reached out to Scotland’s opposition parties, urging them to find common ground ahead of no-confidence votes in his leadership.
This move comes as he faces significant challenges following the collapse of the SNP government’s power-sharing agreement with the Scottish Greens, reported the BBC.
However, Yousaf’s appeal was met with rejection from the Scottish Conservatives, who described it as “humiliating and embarrassing,” while Scottish Labour labelled it an “act of desperation.”
Yousaf hinted at the possibility of an early Scottish election amidst the turmoil but stressed his lack of intention to resign.
Elections for the Scottish Parliament are normally held after a fixed five-year term, with the next one due by May 2026.
The political crisis was triggered when Yousaf ended the power-sharing deal with the Scottish Greens, known as the Bute House agreement, signed by his predecessor Nicola Sturgeon in 2021.
This decision led to accusations from the Greens, who subsequently backed a motion of no-confidence in Yousaf, alongside motions from Scottish Conservatives and Labour.
Yousaf extended invitations to Scottish Conservatives, Scottish Labour, the Greens, the Lib Dems, and Alba for talks at Bute House. He called for constructive contributions, acknowledging strong feelings surrounding the upcoming no-confidence votes.
The SNP, now ruling as a minority government with 63 MSPs in the 129-seat Scottish parliament, faces the challenge of securing support amidst the political turbulence.
Yousaf’s survival in the no-confidence votes may depend on the support of former SNP member Ash Regan, who defected to the Alba party last October.
Douglas Ross, the Scottish Conservative leader, criticised Yousaf’s actions and called for his resignation, accusing the SNP and the Greens of mismanaging Scotland’s public services during their agreement.
Jackie Baillie, Scottish Labour’s deputy leader, dismissed Yousaf’s letter as an act of desperation and questioned the SNP’s ability to govern effectively.
Meanwhile, Kate Forbes, a former SNP leadership contender, urged SNP members to support Yousaf, stressing the importance of unity amidst the political challenges.
Former SNP business minister Ivan McKee suggested that a loss in no-confidence vote could lead to resignation of the first minister.
Green MSP Gillian Mackay became emotional as she expressed her distress over the termination of the agreement with Greens.
During an interview, she mentioned that colleagues in government were also affected by the deteriorating relations.
Reflecting on two-and-a-half years of successful collaboration, she said that it was disheartening to see it all unravel due to the actions of one individual.
Despite the turmoil, Yousaf remained committed to his leadership, pledging an uplift in affordable housing funding and expressing his intention to lead the SNP into future elections.
