John Swinney favourite to become Scotland’s first minister after Humza Yousaf quits

Swinney, who quit government after Nicola Sturgeon stood down in February 2023, confirmed he was “giving very careful consideration” to standing as a unity candidate, after coming under intense pressure from senior figures inside the SNP.

“After spending the weekend reflecting on what is best for my party, for the government and for the country I lead, I’ve concluded that repairing our relationship across the political divide can only be done with someone else at the helm,” he said in a statement at Bute House, the first minister’s official residence.

Yousaf said he planned to stay on as first minister until the party was able to elect his successor, who will lead a minority government dependent on opposition support to get laws passed and its budget agreed.

Party dealmakers expect they can persuade Kate Forbes, the former finance secretary, to stand aside in Swinney’s favour, in order to avoid another bruising leadership contest which could further damage the SNP’s popularity, so close to a general election.

Yousaf, who was Scotland’s first leader of Asian and Muslim heritage, scrapped the Bute House agreement – which was brokered by Sturgeon in 2021 and cemented a progressive, pro-independence majority at Holyrood – after increasing internal criticism within the SNP of Green influence on policy direction.

The Scottish Greens planned its own vote on the future of the agreement after members reacted furiously to the scrapping of climate targets and an NHS Scotland decision to pause the prescription of puberty blockers after the publication of the Cass review of gender identity services.