Scotland's Humza Yousaf expected to resign as first minister

The SNP's fortunes have faltered over a funding scandal and the resignation last year of party leader Nicola Sturgeon, while there has been infighting over how progressive its pitch should be as it seeks to woo back voters. The crisis for Yousaf, a little over a year into his tenure, illustrates some of the challenges he has inherited taking over the SNP, which is losing popular support after 17 years of heading the Scottish government.

Scotland's first minister Humza Yousaf is expected to resign later on Monday, British media reported, after the possibility of him winning a vote of confidence this week appeared to dwindle over the weekend. The crisis in his Scottish National Party (SNP) opens the door to the opposition Labour Party regaining ground in its former Scottish heartlands before a national election - bolstering its chances of taking power nationwide from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's Conservative Party.

Yousaf will make a statement at 1100 GMT on Monday, his party said. His leadership was thrown into chaos last week when he abruptly ended a power-sharing agreement between his pro-independence SNP and the Green Party over a row on climate change targets and dissatisfaction from some in his own party with the government's approach to transgender rights.

Yousaf had hoped to lead a minority government, but opposition parties swiftly indicated they would not support him, with two parties proposing votes of no confidence in Yousaf and the Scottish government, and the Greens indicating they would not back him. The SNP's fortunes have faltered over a funding scandal and the resignation last year of party leader Nicola Sturgeon, while there has been infighting over how progressive its pitch should be as it seeks to woo back voters.

The crisis for Yousaf, a little over a year into his tenure, illustrates some of the challenges he has inherited taking over the SNP, which is losing popular support after 17 years of heading the Scottish government. Earlier this month, polling firm YouGov said the Labour Party had overtaken the SNP in voting intentions for a Westminster election, for the first time in a decade.

If Yousaf resigns, the Scottish parliament will have 28 days to choose a new first minister before an election is forced. Former SNP leader John Swinney has been approached by senior party figures to become an interim first minister, the Times newspaper said, adding he was reluctant to step up.

Asked about whether he would like to replace Yousaf, Swinney said he would wait to see what was said. Yousaf, the first Muslim head of government in modern Western Europe, succeeded Sturgeon as first minister in March 2023.

She has been embroiled in a party funding scandal with her husband, who was charged this month with embezzling funds. Both deny wrongdoing.

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