The Guardian view on Humza Yousaf's resignation: miscalculation leads to crisis | Editorial

As he frankly admitted on Monday during an emotional press conference, Mr Yousaf grievously miscalculated in believing it would be possible to unexpectedly bin the cooperation agreement with the Greens, summarily dismiss the party’s co-leaders from his government, and then rely on their support for an SNP-minority administration.

It was an inept piece of brinkmanship from a politician who, while clearly a decent man, has not convincingly navigated his party through ever-choppier waters following the resignation of Nicola Sturgeon last February.

But after a period of near-complete hegemony lasting the best part of two decades, this latest bout of self-inflicted drama comes against a wider backdrop of serious political turbulence for the SNP.

Amid a cost of living crisis, and with independence now seen as a medium-term aspiration rather than an immediate goal, its approach to domestic politics has risked being underpowered on some bread-and-butter issues and overly performative on others.

Meanwhile the Scottish government’s gender recognition reform bill – vetoed by Westminster – and its hate crime laws, which came into force this month, triggered high-profile culture wars that have alienated some key constituencies.

Most seriously of all, the embezzlement charges brought this month against Ms Sturgeon’s husband, Peter Murrell, have inflicted lasting reputational damage that will cast a deep shadow over the coming general election.