On Monday 29th April, Humza Yousaf the First Minister of Scotland announced that he will be standing down as head of the Scottish Government. The Orkney News has looked at the reaction from supporters and opposition leaders to the news.
Firstly Humza Yousaf is stepping down, not resigning. In the case of a resignation the Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament would have to appoint a new First Minister. Because FM Yousaf is stepping down it gives SNP MSPs the opportunity to be selected by their own party to the top spot .
Humza Yousaf said that it was an honour to be “the First Minister of the country I love, the country I am raising my family in, and the only country I will ever call home. I have had the honour of serving in Government for almost 12 years in a variety of roles.
“Although I am sad that my time as First Minister is ending, I am so grateful and blessed for having the opportunity so few are afforded – to lead my country, and who could ask for a better country to lead than Scotland.”
Humza Yousaf and the SNP Minority Government was facing two no confidence votes: the Tories motion was directed at the FM himself and Labour put one forward for the whole Government. The Scottish Greens, whose time in Government ended with the collapse of the Bute House Agreement had said they would support no confidence votes in a Government whose policies they had been instrumental in producing.
Robert Leslie who will be contesting Orkney and Shetland for the SNP in the forthcoming General Election said that he was sorry to see the FM stepping down.
Robert Leslie said:
“He was making progress in many areas, such as reducing child poverty, with an estimated 100,000 children across Scotland expected to be lifted out of poverty this year. His announcement, shortly after becoming First Minister, of a tripling of the Fuel Insecurity Fund to £30 million meant significant support with energy bills for struggling Orkney households over the winter. These payments mitigated for the UK’s broken energy system and helped folk stay afloat in the Tory-driven cost-of-living crisis. These are policies and actions that exemplify the aims of the SNP to create a fairer future for everyone in Scotland.”
Robert Leslie reaffirmed his commitment to have winning Scotland’s independence at the core of his campaign “with public ownership of energy, a route back into the EU, and more powers for the islands at the heart of it.”
“No matter who follows Humza as leader, there will be a clear choice for voters in Orkney and Shetland when the Tories get round to calling a General Election. Voters can continue to back an incumbent MP who denies the people of Scotland a democratic say on their future, and who will be a bystander to the continued chaos of an increasingly insular and right wing Broken Brexit Britain, or they can vote for me, knowing I will fight for a fairer future for the islands as part of a normal independent Scotland, including making Scotland’s energy work for Scotland’s people, and not shareholders.
“Independence would also mean having the conditions to re-enter the EU as a normal independent country, negotiating a new relationship with our continental neighbours as an equal partner, rather than the increasingly costly shambles we are seeing unfold under Westminster.
“At the same time, if folk in Orkney and Shetland are really keen to have more powers, then these are more likely to be won as part of a renegotiated relationship with the EU, as was set out by the late Jean-Didier Hache during the Our Islands Our Future conference 11 years ago now. I was at the conference in September 2013, and recall Mr Hache describe how many European islands already enjoy special status with the EU and that the demands of Our Islands Our Future were reasonable and legitimate. Indeed, from what he said, the majority of island regions in Europe already had some kind of special status or autonomy, with the Scotland’s islands being the exception.
“I firmly believe that Orkney and Shetland can thrive rather than simply survive as part of an independent Scotland.”
Lorna Slater MSP Co-Leader of the Scottish Greens described the situation as ‘regrettable’ and continued “The First Minister’s position was no longer tenable after he broke the bonds of trust with our party and with everyone who wanted a stable, progressive, pro-independence government.” The Greens had an uncomfortable time at FMQs last week with all opposition parties ridiculing them and only FM Humza Yousaf praising their role in Government.
The Scottish Tories who had launched a campaign ‘Get rid of Humza Yousaf’ described the FM as ‘lame duck leader’. “His disastrous nationalist government has abandoned oil and gas jobs, delayed vital road upgrades, backed dangerous gender self-ID laws, and seen Scotland’s school standards drop to their worst level on record.”
For Labour, their leader in Scotland Anas Sarwar MSP, has demanded a snap Holyrood election saying that ” the SNP “cannot impose another unelected First Minister” and that Scottish Labour is “ready” to deliver “change”.
The Liberal Democrats leader in Scotland is Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP. He said:
“This is a stale government that has been in power too long. Scotland needs a new government- one that won’t make empty promises but will get the basics right. “
So what happens next? Well, nothing much for a time whilst various SNP MSPs who wish to be First Minister look for support amongst their colleagues. If FM Humza Yousaf had resigned then the Presiding Officer, Alison Johnstone, would have the power to appoint someone from the current batch of MSPs in the Scottish Parliament. SNP MSPs and ANY political party can now put forward a candidate for First Minister. This will then be voted on by all MSPs. Whoever wins that vote then has to be approved by King Charles III.
Fiona Grahame
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