Humza Yousaf quits as first minister of Scotland: what happens now?

Yousaf has said that he will stay in place until a new party leader can be found, following Nicola Sturgeon’s resignation route.

When she held a similar press conference last February at Bute House, the official Edinburgh residence of Scottish first ministers, she announced it was her intention to step down, but only submitted her formal resignation as first minister to the king after the conclusion of the SNP’s leadership election, which took six weeks.

Shortly after Yousaf’s statement, the SNP confirmed there would be a meeting of its national executive committee to decide the timetable of the leadership election later this week.

According to the SNP’s constitution, a candidate for leader must have the nominations of at least 100 members, drawn from at least 20 branches, but details will need to be endorsed by the party’s national executive committee.

Once Yousaf has formally submitted his resignation to the king, the Holyrood parliament will vote to choose a new first minister via a simple majority.

However, in the event that the new SNP leader was unable to command that majority, the Scottish parliament would be dissolved and a Holyrood election called.