'I intend to fight', Humza Yousaf tells ITV News as he faces no confidence vote
SNP leader Humza Yousaf says he has no plans to resign, and believes he can convince the Scottish Green Party to reconsider a no-confidence vote, ITV News Correspondent Peter Smith reports
Humza Yousaf says he intends to carry on as Scotland's first minister as he fights for his leadership, and still hopes he can persuade the Scottish Greens to back away from a no confidence vote.
This is the same Green Party that he kicked out of his government, claiming their coalition has "served its purpose", following a series of disputes over gender rights and climate targets.
He says he intends to write to the Greens to ask them to reconsider, but the party has said they are absolutely resolute that Mr Yousaf must resign.
Humza Yousaf has 'capitulated' to the more right-leaning elements of the SNP party by dropping the Bute House agreement, according to Greens Co-leader Lorna Slater
Mr Yousaf has cancelled a planned speech at Strathclyde University as he battles for his leadership position.
He was due to speak about the labour strategy in an independent Scotland, take part in a Q&A session and take questions from the press.
But a source close to the first minister confirmed on Friday the event had been cancelled.
Humza Yousaf denies that it is 'all over' and says he 'intends to fight'
SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn said the first minister is “coming out fighting” in the face of a concerted effort by opponents to oust him, after he dramatically brought the powersharing deal with the Scottish Greens to an end.
Meanwhile reports by STV News suggest Mr Yousaf is "considering his position" as first minister. The spokesperson did, however, tell the news outlet that Mr Yousaf would not resign on Friday.
As Mr Yousaf battles to save his position as First Minister of Scotland, his future could now lie in the hands of his defeated SNP leadership rival.
Alex Salmond said that Ash Regan understands how much her votes weight will carry when it comes to Humza Yousaf's no confidence vote and won't be playing party politics and will instead be voting for the best interest of Scotland
Scotland “deserves and demands a reset”, Alba Party Holyrood leader Ash Regan has said in a letter to the first minister.
Ms Regan defected from the SNP last year to join Alex Salmond’s party and become its first MSP after losing the SNP leadership race to Mr Yousaf, following the resignation of Nicola Sturgeon.
She suggested that investment in the Grangemouth refinery could be the price of her support for Humza Yousaf in the upcoming confidence vote.
The refinery is due to be shuttered next year and shifted to an import and export terminal - she has since launched a campaign to sustain jobs at the site.
The SNP has 63 MSPs at Holyrood, meaning Ms Regan, who has not yet confirmed which way she will vote, could have the power decide the first minister's fate.
Scottish Labour sought to put further pressure on the SNP by lodging a no confidence motion in the entire Scottish government, rather than just Mr Yousaf.
If passed, it could lead to a Scottish Parliament election.
Labour leader Anas Sarwar said it's "a matter of when - not if - Humza Yousaf will step down" as first minister.
“It would be untenable for the SNP to assume it can impose another unelected first minister on Scotland,” he said.
Ms Regan published her letter to Mr Yousaf on X, saying the opportunity 'to write a new chapter for Scotland is in our hands'
Ending the deal
The SNP leader confirmed on Thursday that he would form a minority government without the Greens.
Defending his decision to end the deal, the SNP leader said the arrangement with the Greens had "served its purpose", following a bitter dispute between the two parties over a number of issues, including climate targets, marine protections and gender recognition.
Mr Yousaf now faces backlash, with the Greens saying they will back a no confidence motion against him, proposed by Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross.
Including other opposing parties, at least 64 out of 128 MSPs are expected not to back the first minister.
Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves reinforced the message that Labour has tabled a vote of no confidence in the whole Scottish government
Speaking to Times Radio, Mr Salmond said Ms Regan was now the “most powerful MSP in the Scottish Parliament”, adding that she would write to Mr Yousaf setting out her demands on independence and women’s rights.
Presiding Officer Alison Johnstone can cast tie-breaking votes but would be expected to vote in favour of the status quo.
Any vote is likely to take place next week, with timings to be confirmed by parliamentary authorities.
Mr Yousaf's decision to end the Bute House Agreement with the Scottish Greens was branded an act of “political cowardice” by the smaller pro-independence party.
The move means Scottish Green co-leaders Lorna Slater and Patrick Harvie lost their ministerial roles.
“We no longer have confidence in a progressive government in Scotland doing the right thing for climate and nature," Ms Slater said.
The Bute House Agreement gave the SNP-led government a majority at Holyrood, but it came under strain in recent days after the Greens said they would put the future of the deal to a vote by their members.
Some in the Greens were unhappy at the Scottish government’s recent dropping of 2030 climate targets and the decision to pause the prescription of new puberty blockers at Scotland’s only gender clinic.
Ms Slater confirmed that rather than abstaining “we will vote in favour of a vote of no confidence” and claimed the First Minister had “caved in to the conservative, right-wing branch” of the SNP.
A spokesman for Mr Yousaf refused to say if he would quit if he lost the confidence vote, describing the question as “hypothetical”.
The SNP leader accused the Tories of game playing, insisting the powersharing deal with the Greens had “served its purpose” and lasted 19 times longer than Liz Truss’s premiership.
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