Scotland’s First Minister Yousaf to make statement as resignation expected

He is holding a press conference at Bute House, his official residence in Edinburgh, at noon.

He is expected to announce he is standing down from the post, the PA news agency understands.

Ahead of that Mr Yousaf was seen entering Bute House via the back entrance.

It comes as he faces two votes of no confidence: one from the Scottish Conservatives; and another from Scottish Labour, which has tabled one for the Scottish Government as a whole.

Votes on the motions are expected at Holyrood in the coming week.

Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross, who had tabled a motion of no confidence in the First Minister, said his party had “forced Humza Yousaf out of office for repeatedly failing Scotland”.

Mr Ross insisted: “Faced with our vote of no confidence, the SNP leader has quit rather than face a humiliating defeat.”

While the Tory stressed that “on a personal level, I wish Humza Yousaf and his family well” he added that his party “cannot forgive the damage he did to families and households across Scotland by raising taxes, letting NHS waiting lists spiral and attacking free speech”.

Mr Ross continued: “The next First Minister must abandon the nationalist obsession with independence and focus solely on Scotland’s top priorities, such as creating jobs and improving our ailing public services.”

Meanwhile, former Scottish deputy first minister John Swinney said it would be a “difficult day”.

However, he refused to rule out standing to be SNP leader if this would prevent a vote of no confidence in the Scottish Government.

Mr Swinney, who was speaking at an event being staged by the Resolution Foundation on 25 years of devolution, said: “I will consider what the First Minister says and reflect on that.

“I may well have more to say at a later stage during the week.”

Meanwhile, SNP MSP Michelle Thomson told BBC Radio Scotland on Monday morning that she had heard “rumours” Mr Yousaf was considering stepping down.

Ms Thomson, who was part of Kate Forbes’ campaign for leadership last year, said: “I’m hearing the same rumours (that the First Minister is considering stepping down) and I think we’re all waiting to see what the actual position is.

“I guess the rumours suggest that something is afoot, but I honestly can’t clarify because I’ve had no update nor, as I understand, have my MSP group, so I guess we’ll all hear definitively one way or another this morning.”

Ms Thomson went on to describe the First Minister as an “honourable man” who is “well liked” within the SNP Holyrood group.

Mr Yousaf had previously insisted he would fight to stay in the job and intended to win any vote of no confidence.

But with the SNP not having a majority at Holyrood he would need to secure the backing of at least one MSP from another party to achieve this – and the Greens made clear they would not support the First Minister in the vote of no confidence he is facing.

On Monday morning, Scottish Green Party co-leader Patrick Harvie told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I don’t think Humza Yousaf any more is in a position to be able to lead.”

He added: “I don’t think there is anything that Humza Yousaf will be able to say to restore the trust he has broken.”

The First Minister requires the support of at least one member of the opposition at Holyrood.

On Sky News, Labour’s deputy national campaign co-ordinator, Ellie Reeves, said on Monday: “No-one voted for Humza Yousaf and, given all of the chaos, I think there should be an election up in Scotland so that people in Scotland can have their say on what’s happening up there.

“At the moment, they are being failed by an SNP Government in Holyrood and a Conservative Government in Westminster.”