Achi news desk-
The First Minister was due to give a major speech on the labor market at lunchtime on Friday but – with his own job at stake – he canceled with just a couple of hours’ notice.
Instead, he went to Dundee where he made an announcement about affordable housing.
Speaking to reporters afterwards, he said he wanted to “reset” his administration now that the Bute House Agreement had been terminated.
He said he had written to all Holyrood leaders inviting them to a meeting in an attempt to “make a minority government work”.
However, there is little hope that the other parties will work to support the Prime Minister.
The first motion of no confidence that MEPs will vote on next week, tabled by the Scottish Conservatives, is on Mr Yousaf as First Minister.
The second, presented yesterday by Scottish Labour, is on the Scottish Government.
Although losing the first would be politically embarrassing for the SNP leader, losing the second – in accordance with the Scotland Act – would require Mr Yousaf and all his ministers to resign.
The Scottish Labor leader, Anas Sarwar, said that Members of Parliament from all parts of parliament should support his proposal.
“Getting rid of Humza Yousaf alone will not deliver the change we need – we need to get rid of the entire SNP government which has left almost one in six Scots on the NHS waiting list, public finances in disarray and public services at the top.”
The SNP currently has 63 MLAs. However, the opposition parties have a combined total of 65.
Both confidence votes only require a simple majority.
All parties except Alba have said they will support Douglas Ross’s motion on Mr Yousaf’s record.
So far only the Tories and the Liberal Democrats have confirmed that they will support Scottish Labor’s bid to ban the Prime Minister.
Both Alba and the Greens expressed some skepticism – although neither has specifically ruled out voting for the measure.
Speaking to the PA news agency, Scottish Green co-convener Patrick Harvie said Mr Yousaf “clearly lacked” the confidence of parliament.
“We said that the responsibility of the decision is on him. He needs to bear the consequences of that reckless and harmful decision.
“I think it’s pretty clear that he’s not the person who’s going to be able to bring the majority of parliament together.”
When asked if there was any way back for Mr Yousaf in terms of working with the Greens, Mr Harvie said the Prime Minister had “breached trust”.
He added: “He has not really given any clarity as to why he made such a dramatic U-turn and broke a promise on which he was elected First Minister.
“So it’s very difficult to see how you can have a conversation that leads to a constructive outcome based on that lack of trust.”
One of Green’s top sources told The Herald that the news upset Members of the Scottish Parliament.
“We’ve had a steady flow of senior SNP people coming down the stairs [to the Green party offices in Parliament]some of them are clearly emotional, because a lot of time has been spent with our HASAs and their HASAs and their ministers, building a progressive working relationship as part of the pro-independence Scottish Government.”
“There has been surprise and sadness, I don’t think that would be too strong a word,” they added.
Speaking to journalists in Dundee, Mr Yousaf said he did not regret the end of the Bute House Agreement but did not intend to upset the Greens.
He said he “valued the contribution” of Mr Harvie and Ms Slater in government.
“That sadness and anger, that was not what I meant, and I’m looking forward, hopefully, to a response from Patrick and Lorna to the letter I intend to write in the coming days.”
If Labour’s motion of no confidence is successful and the Prime Minister is forced to resign, the President would then nominate an interim prime minister and Holyrood would have 28 days to find a permanent replacement.
If ASA cannot agree on a new prime minister within that timeframe, the Senedd would be dissolved and an early election would be triggered.
Asked by Channel 4 News whether the SNP could afford a Holyrood election before a general election, Mr Yousaf said: “I intend to win the no-confidence vote, but I wouldn’t rule out a Holyrood election. We’re on an election basis – we’re ready if that’s needed.”
When asked if he would resign if the Senedd voted that it had no confidence in him as Prime Minister, Mr Yousaf said: “I am not setting aside at all a loss. I’m going to go into that vote expecting to win that vote. “I know the headline you’re desperate to get; I’m not going to give it to you because I intend to fight that no confidence vote.
“I intend to win that vote of no confidence.”
