Humza Yousaf has been elected as Scotland’s First Minister.

The Glasgow Pollok SNP MSP was chosen by MSPs today in Holyrood, 24 hours after he was selected as the new SNP leader, following Nicola Sturgeon’s resignation.

The 37-year-old is the youngest First Minister and the first from an ethnic minority and he is understood to be the first Muslim to lead a government in western Europe.

  He was chosen as SNP leader, announced yesterday at Murrayfield 

His family watched from the Presiding Officer’s gallery as MSPs made their decision.

His wife and children and his parents were there to witness the occasion.

The former pupil of Hutcheson’s Grammar School and graduate of Glasgow University becomes the sixth first minister since devolution.

He is the third to have attended Glasgow University following Nicola Sturgeon and Donald Dewar, the country’s first, first minister.

Before he was chosen in the vote, Yousaf, said: "I will never shy away from tackling the big issues our country faces.

"Every hour of every day to harness the potential of Scotland and every single person in it."

 He has been told poverty must be his priority

Referring to himself and Sarwar also said it was a sign of progress in Scotland that two of the nominations for first minister were people of colour and members of the Muslim faith.

He said: "Scotland's best days lie ahead and I will work tirelessly to ensure that is the case."

There were four nominations for the post of first minister.

As well as Yousaf, the Tories nominated Douglas Ross, Labour put forward Anas Sarwar and the LibDems, Alex Cole-Hamilton.

Ross said the Scottish Government was moving further away from the priorities of the Scottish people.

The Conservative leader said the SNP was “consumed” by the debate on independence and was “fiddling while Rome burns”.

Sarwar said Scotland needs a first minister for the whole country not half of it.

He said: “We need change. Scotland is crying out for change."

Cole-Hamilton said: “I am a candidate for First Minister because this is a democracy.”

Yousaf was elected with 71 of the 129 MSPs.

Ross received 31 votes.

Sarwar got 22 votes.

Cole-Hamilton gained 4 votes.