expecting the first minister, humza yousaf, to make a statement shortly. the bbc understands he will resign as first minister. talking to brian taylor, political commentator in scotland and long—time bbc scotland political editor. we mentioned john swinney, do you think that is a possibility? it swinney, do you think that is a possibility?— swinney, do you think that is a possibility? it is. john has been lookin: possibility? it is. john has been looking to _ possibility? it is. john has been looking to take _ possibility? it is. john has been looking to take a _ possibility? it is. john has been looking to take a step - possibility? it is. john has been looking to take a step back- possibility? it is. john has been| looking to take a step back from politics. he was leader of the party at the beginning of the scottish parliament from 1999. it was an extremely turbulent period but when the snp gained power in 2007, he became the finance secretary and was regarded as an extremely stable and secure finance secretary. during that 2007 period, he managed to cut deals on getting the budget through with the conservatives. those days are gone, the days of a deal between the snp and tories over the budget are gone. it would had to be the

greens. i think they would trust john swinney. he could have had it last year. he didn't want it, he wants a more peaceful time, more time with his family, genuinely. but he could perhaps be persuaded there is a service to be done to his party and to the nation. he could perhaps be cajoled or stop other than that there are senior members of the scottish cabinet, neil gray, who could be contenders but perhaps scottish cabinet, neil gray, who could be contenders but perhaszohn swinney could hold the fort for a while until the snp decide and determine what their future planning is. �* , ., determine what their future planning is. �*, determine what their future planning is. let's go back to westminster and our political — is. let's go back to westminster and our political respondent _ is. let's go back to westminster and our political respondent nick - is. let's go back to westminster and our political respondent nick early. i our political respondent nick early. under the law they have 28 days to choose a first minister but if they can't choose one, there has to be an election. ., �* , can't choose one, there has to be an election. . �*, ., , , can't choose one, there has to be an election-_ i i election. that's absolutely right. i

will no election. that's absolutely right. i will go back _ election. that's absolutely right. i will go back because _ election. that's absolutely right. i will go back because humza - election. that's absolutely right. i l will go back because humza yousaf election. that's absolutely right. i - will go back because humza yousaf is at the podium now. last will go back because humza yousaf is at the podium now.— will go back because humza yousaf is at the podium now. last weeki stood here to announce _ at the podium now. last weeki stood here to announce the _ at the podium now. last weeki stood here to announce the ending - at the podium now. last weeki stood here to announce the ending of - at the podium now. last weeki stood here to announce the ending of the i here to announce the ending of the cooperation agreement between the snp and the greens. the bute house agreement. and that the snp would seek to govern as a minority government. i made that decision as leader of the snp because i believed ending the bute house agreement was the right one for the party i lead. i still do believe that to be the case, but most importantly, i believe it was the right decision for the country. my hope was to continue working with the greens in a less formal arrangement as the snp move to a new phase of minority government. unfortunately, in ending the bute house agreement in the manner that i did, i clearly underestimated the level of hurt and upset i caused

underestimated the level of hurt and upset i caused— upset i caused green colleagues. trust when _ upset i caused green colleagues. trust when working _ upset i caused green colleagues. trust when working with - upset i caused green colleagues. trust when working with the - trust when working with the opposition is clearly fundamental. and while a route through this week's motion of no confidence was absolutely possible, i am not willing to trade my values and principles or do deals with whoever simply for retaining power. therefore, after spending the weekend reflecting on what is best for my party, for the government and 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 by someone else at the helm. i have therefore informed the snp�*s national secretary of my intention to stand down as party leader and ask she commences a leadership contest for my replacement as soon as possible. in order to ensure a smooth and orderly transition, it is my intention to continue as first

minister until my successor has been elected. particularly as parliament will be debating some incredibly important legislation in the coming days and weeks. i cannot tell you what an honour it is being the first minister of the country i love. the country i am raising my family in and that only country i will ever call home. as a young boy born and raised in scotland, i could never have dreamt that one day i would have dreamt that one day i would have the privilege of leading my country. people who looked like me were not in positions of political influence let alone leading governments when i was younger. but we now live in a uk that has a british hindu prime minister, a muslim mayor of london, a black welsh first minister and for a while longer first minister of this country. forthose longer first minister of this country. for those who do quite multiculturalism has failed in the

uk, the evidence is to the contrary and that is something we should all celebrate. i have had the honour of serving in government for almost 12 years in a variety of roles. whatever position i held during my time in politics, i have always been guided by my values. as first minister i am incredibly proud to have a fair tax system, the most progressive in the uk that those who and the most contribute the most and it will always be my core belief that in a country as rich as ours, wealth must be far more evenly distributed. i have no doubt at all that whoever takes over from me... to reduce child poverty. i'm proud through our actions an estimated 100,000 children are expected to be lifted out of poverty this year. i also hope as a country we can be really proud of the strides we have made to tackle inequality, prejudice and discrimination. but let's also

acknowledge that far too often in our country, hatred continues to rear its ugly head. in a world where every issue seems to descend into a toxic culture war, it is often the most marginalised in our society who bear the brunt. as politicians of all political parties, we are afforded, we are privileged to have afforded, we are privileged to have a platform stop each and every one of us must resist the temptation of populism at the expense of minorities, particularly in a general election year. i have often said that as a minority myself, my rights don't exist in a vacuum. they are only protected because the rights of everyone are protected and from the backbenches of the scottish parliament, i will continue to champion the voices and rights of those who are not often heard, be that at home or indeed overseas such as those suffering and continue to

suffer the most terrific humanitarian catastrophe in gaza is the world watches on. let me say to my snp family, i will always be with you, i will always campaign alongside you. we have had setbacks in our movement but we have overcome them and we will do so again. independence feels frustratingly close and believe me, no one feels that frustration more than the leader of the snp. for the last few miles of the marathon are always the hardest and we have run this race as a team and i now will pass the baton to my successor whom i will be certain it will lead us over the finish line. i will tell you today what i will say to that successor, first ministers get to meet countless inspirational people in communities across scotland, working to make life better for those around them. first ministers get to see first hand many of the exciting

businesses and industries that will power scotland's future and when other first ministers set foot beyond scotland's shores, no matter where they go, in europe or across the world, they encounter friends and admirers of our nation. if only every person in scotland could be afforded the opportunity of being first ministerforjust afforded the opportunity of being first minister forjust one day. on the very next day it is my belief that they would vote for independence with both their head and heart. to my fellow msps of all political persuasions, next week is a crucial milestone, we mark 25 years of devolution. we have an electoral system that is designed for no political party to have an overall majority. devolution's founding fathers, mothers, rightly in their wisdom believe no one loses out by politician sharing wisdom, ideas but the converse is also true. that is why i would make an appeal to colleagues from across the

political spectrum that well government of course must act in good faith, so must their opposition and be prepared to collaborate with us, notjust to pose for opposition's sake. the only people who suffer as a result of such an impasse are the very public receipt to serve. politics and politicians not unreasonably, i'm afraid, have often been maligned, however i truly believe that when we get it right, and often we do, we are a force for good that can transform people �*s lives for the better. to my colleagues and opposition, regardless of political party, i genuinely do wish you well, i bear no ill will and no grudge against anyone. politics can be a brutal business. it takes its toll on your physical and mental health. your family suffer alongside you. i am in absolute debt to my wonderful wife,

my beautiful children and my wider family for putting up with me over the years. i'm afraid you will be seeing a lot more of me for now. you are truly everything to me and although of course as you can tell i am sad my time as first minister is ending, but i am so grateful, i'm so blessed for having the opportunity that are afforded to so few to lead my country and who could ask for a better country to lead? thank you very much. there is humza yousaf announcing that he will stand down as scotland's first minister, just over a year after taking office. he said he would continue as first minister until a successor was appointed. during that speech he reflected on

the last week, saying that he had been his hope to continue working with the greens as a minority government after he ended the butte agreement last week but he said clearly he had underestimated the level of upset in the green party. he went on to say he was not willing to do deals simply for maintaining power, so he had decided it was best for the government, party and country to be done by someone else at the helm. he told the audience it was an honour being first minister. he said he had been guided by his values, including a fair tax system. he talked also about hatred and about minority rights. he said he would continue to champion those from the backbenches. he addressed what he called the snp family. he said he would always be with them and always campaign with them. he said that independence feels frustratingly close. he added that

the last few miles of a marathon are the last few miles of a marathon are the hardest and that he would pass the hardest and that he would pass the baton on to a successor who he said can carry us over the finish line. he ended quite emotionally, saying he bed no ill will to his... and said politics can be a brutal business, both physically and mentally. and at the end he got emotional as you saw him, as he paid tribute to his wife, his children and his widerfamily. let tribute to his wife, his children and his wider family. let us get some reaction to that news. alexandra mckenzie is outside bute house. i wondered alexandra mckenzie is outside bute house. iwondered if alexandra mckenzie is outside bute house. i wondered if i could get your initial reaction to what you made of that resignation speech from the first minister? we made of that resignation speech from the first minister?— the first minister? we are outside the first minister? we are outside the first minister? we are outside the first minister's _ the first minister? we are outside the first minister's residence. - the first minister? we are outside the first minister's residence. it i the first minister's residence. it was quite a short speech. i have just heard from some of my

colleagues who were inside that it was an incredibly emotional time. humza yousaf became emotional. at one point. and several of his colleagues and staff are also quite emotional because this has unravelled very quickly since thursday stop this time last week where we were expecting —— where we are expecting this? humza yousaf said ending the bute house agreement was the right thing to do he underestimated the level of hurt that had been caused, and we heard about that level of hurt from the co—leaders of the green party over the weekend. he said as he was about to announce that he was resigning, he had reflected on what was best for everyone. we can imagine that he spent the weekend at his family home in dundee, thinking about his options, thinking just over a year

since he became first minister, so a very big decision to make this announcement that he will, that he is resigning. he will continue until his successor has been found. he talked of the honour of being first minister and a lot of times it was very, very heartfelt. it minister and a lot of times it was very, very heartfelt.— minister and a lot of times it was very, very heartfelt. it was indeed. you're watching _ very, very heartfelt. it was indeed. you're watching bbc— very, very heartfelt. it was indeed. you're watching bbc news. - very, very heartfelt. it was indeed. - you're watching bbc news. alexandra, ijust you're watching bbc news. alexandra, i just wonder what the process will now be. he is now saying he will remain in place while a successor is found? , , ., ., ., found? yes. things do move on quite cuickl and found? yes. things do move on quite quickly and there _ found? yes. things do move on quite quickly and there has _ found? yes. things do move on quite quickly and there has already - found? yes. things do move on quite quickly and there has already been i quickly and there has already been talk about who might succeed humza yousaf as scotland's first minister. parliament will have 28 days to vote for a new first minister or there would be an early election. there have already been names in the

frame, we have heard about kate forbes. she was narrowly beaten by hamza yusuf last time. also john swinney, who has been leader of the party before. he didn't stand last time but he has been encouraged to stand this time. other names in the frame, education secretaryjenny gould ruth, the coach secretary. this has moved on quite quickly from humza yousaf who has just in the last few minutes announced his resignation as first minister of scotland. ., ~ , ., �* , ., resignation as first minister of scotland. ., ~ �*, ., ., scotland. thank you. let's go to nick eardley _ scotland. thank you. let's go to nick eardley at _ scotland. thank you. let's go to nick eardley at westminster. i scotland. thank you. let's go to l nick eardley at westminster. your first reaction to that. an emotional speech at times from humza yousaf. it was. you often get those moments of emotion towards these resignation speech is. what i thought was interesting was humza yousaf was

trying to put a bit of a positive spin on this. to say, i think i could have got through that vote later this week, but i wasn't prepared to do what was necessary to make that happen. what he is saying there is here think you could have won over alba. that if he had gone far enough on certain issues, ash regan could have backed him. there is probably some truth to that, if given enough concessions, he could have won her voip but even if he won that, he would have been struggling to get budgets and things like that through so he has concluded it wasn't worth it. what is really significant about this now is where the snp goes next. we stood here at this time last year and asked that question after nicola sturgeon quit. remember that the election that shows humza yousaf was the first really open election of snp members for almost 20 years. alex salmond was the natural successor when he

got the job. was the natural successor when he got thejob. nicola sturgeon was the natural successor when he got the job. nicola sturgeon was was the natural successor when he got thejob. nicola sturgeon was his natural successor, then when she stood down, there has been this question of what comes next. that is the question this afternoon as well because the party could take different directions. it could go for a social conservative like kate forbes and training for the centre. it could go for someone likejohn swinney who again is pretty in the centre but is also a bit of an old guard of the party, he was nicola sturgeon's close confident and deputy. 0r sturgeon's close confident and deputy. or it could go for somebody else, perhaps one of the newer breed of cabinet ministers. but be under no illusion, this is a huge moment for the snp and by extension that is a huge moment for british politics because remember, the snp have dominated elections in scotland since the independence referendum. that could be under threat. i assume the snp won't want an election

whereas the opposition parties will. a holyrood election, that is probably true. i think labour would jump probably true. i think labour would jump at the chance. they have been really confident about their position over the last year, their polling has been doing really well, privately they talk about winning 20, 25 mp5 at privately they talk about winning 20, 25 mps at a privately they talk about winning 20,25 mps at a general election, perhaps challenging the snp to be the biggest party in the holyrood election. but the big but here is chatting to senior people in the labour party this morning, they are not sure what comes next either and they say this is a short—term advantage, the fact that the snp are in disarray, that humza yousaf has been forced from office and nobody knows what comes next. if the snp can find a stable leader, someone who can win over another group in the scottish parliament to keep them in power without a holyrood

election, there are some in the labour party who think there could be bad news for labour. it is a proper big moment this is scottish and british politics. it is a crossroads, we don't know exactly where things will go next and that means it is all pretty uncertain. let's bring in brian taylor who has been with us and had humza yousaf, his resignation speech. political commentator and former bbc scotland political editor. i wondered commentator and former bbc scotland political editor. iwondered if commentator and former bbc scotland political editor. i wondered if i could get your thoughts on what mr yusuf said during his resignation speech. yusuf said during his resignation seech. ., , yusuf said during his resignation seech. . , ., , ., speech. certainly have huge personal em ath speech. certainly have huge personal empathy for — speech. certainly have huge personal empathy for him- _ speech. certainly have huge personal empathy for him. quite _ speech. certainly have huge personal empathy for him. quite remarkable l speech. certainly have huge personal. empathy for him. quite remarkable he had the emotional spell when he was talking about his wife and his family. we tend to forget sometimes that all politicians are human beings with a wider circle of friends and family than simply political associates and comrades and that was really quite striking.

again, one feels huge sympathy. i was also struck by the fact he bears no ill will by those who encourage the move to bring him down, no ill will to the opponents or to the greens but with regards to the greens, he was conceding he made a mess of it himself because he pre—empted... it is eminently possible they would have stuck with the deal because they would have been encouraged to do so by their leaders but they were thrown out of government and thrown out of the bute house agreement in a very blunt fashion by humza yousaf. plainly infuriated them to an extent they said they could not trust him. humza yousaf recognising that fact, recognising he could not do a deal with the greens to stay in office and that by implication, he didn't want to cut a deal with ash regan by which you could have squeaked into

office. he recognised the arithmetic did not stack up and it was time for him to stand down and in doing so, he certainly gains a substantial degree of credibility and respect. why do you think he miscalculated so much on how the greens would react to him going on the front foot and pulling out of the bute house agreement? he pulling out of the bute house agreement? pulling out of the bute house aureement? . ., agreement? he miscalculated the resonse, agreement? he miscalculated the response, that's _ agreement? he miscalculated the response, that's true. _ agreement? he miscalculated the response, that's true. you - agreement? he miscalculated the response, that's true. you have i agreement? he miscalculated the| response, that's true. you have to think about the motivations. he wanted to go on the front foot to take charge because it wasn't his agenda. he took over from nicola sturgeon, talking about the continuity candidate. he inherited the deal with the greens, he inherited the ambitions of dealing with what nicola sturgeon declared a climate emergency. he inherited bills like the gender reform bill, he inherited all of these things. he wanted to get his own agenda but in doing so, he abruptly ended the pact with the greens. he forgot the

arithmetic which is that you need to get your votes through. we have a uk general election coming up on the horizon. snp mps, members of parliament and westminster and what the msps and mps are anxious about their prospects. they see a resurgent labour party across the uk but notably in scotland and they were concerned. i think they were particularly seeing an advantage in the snp going on the front foot, setting itself apart from the greens, pursuing its own agenda on the economy and health service and education. i think that really benefited the mps and i think you may have been hearing that in his ear and reflecting that in his decision. the decision probably did put him on the front foot for a weekend. it then ended up with him losing hisjob. ii weekend. it then ended up with him losing his job-— losing his 'ob. if we now look ahead, losing his job. if we now look ahead. nick _ losing his job. if we now look ahead, nick eardley - losing his job. if we now look. ahead, nick eardley mentioning losing his job. if we now look- ahead, nick eardley mentioning kate forbes as a front runner. do you

think that is possible? she forbes as a front runner. do you think that is possible?— forbes as a front runner. do you think that is possible? she is one of front runner. _ think that is possible? she is one of front runner. she _ think that is possible? she is one of front runner. she is _ think that is possible? she is one of front runner. she is a - think that is possible? she is one of front runner. she is a front - of front runner. she is a front runner probably if the decision is only for the snp. the scottish parliament has to elect a first minister as a whole, it has 28 days from the resignation of a first minister in which to do so, in which to get a new first minister. there is an intriguing element here. they will have to be a vote in parliament, labourwill will have to be a vote in parliament, labour will still pursue their vote of no confidence in the entire government. if they pursued that in the entire government, then the clock starts ticking for finding a new first minister. you could have a new first minister. you could have a situation, it is feasible that you have a situation whereby parliament is obliged to elect a first minister and then perhaps over a slightly longer time period, there is the election of a new leader for the snp in that wider leadership contest that mr yusuf himself promised. but they had to watch they aren't caught

out. you have those two choices, the choice of the snp for a new leader but the choice of parliament for a new first minister. they had to get moving on that latter one. if new first minister. they had to get moving on that latter one.- moving on that latter one. if you are 'ust moving on that latter one. if you are just joining _ moving on that latter one. if you are just joining us, _ moving on that latter one. if you arejust joining us, we _ moving on that latter one. if you arejust joining us, we are - arejustjoining us, we are discussing the fact that humza yousaf has resigned as the scottish first minister. we are with brian taylor, political commentator and nick eardley, our political correspondent in westminster and alexandra mckenzie is outside bute house where the first minister made that announcement. i wanted to go back to lick and pick up on something bryant said. do you think there might be a temporary arrangement while the s&p get their house in order about what they do? i'm not convinced. having spoken to some people high up in the party this morning they pointed out that an interim leader only really takes overfor a few weeks an interim leader only really takes over for a few weeks to stable things during a leadership election. john swinney had been suggested as a

potential person to take that first minister role but i think his backers want him to get the role permanently. ian blackford, he used to be the snp�*s westminster leader, has said he backsjohn swinney. he is one of the people trying to persuade him to stand for the job. he has been saying that on politics live so already that jockey he has been saying that on politics live so already thatjockey is beginning. what is interesting is john swinney this morning did not rule it out. he is clearly leaving that door open about my sense at the moment from the people i have spoken to is they want to get a new leader in pretty soon to fight that general election campaign that brian was talking about, to try and stabilise the scottish government and get another party back onside to stay in power. ultimately to try and stay in power. ultimately to try and stay in power at the next holyrood reaction. some reaction coming in both from downing street and scottish labour. the prime minister is saying what

the scottish people deserve and need is a government in scotland focused on what they care about. that is day—to—day issues with the economy, the nhs and schools. not a government that is obsessed with things like independence and gender recognition as the last snp government was. that is not right. that is reaction from the prime minister, rishi sunak. we have also had reaction from the scottish labour leader anas sarwa. he said regardless of our political differences, i want to thank humza yousaf for his public service. scots will remember the dignified way he reacted while his loved ones face danger in gaza. i wish him and his family the best for the future. for scottish labour this has never been about one person, this is about 17 years of snp failure. the fact this is a crisis of the snp�*s making and it appears it will yet again put party before country or scots are failed every day. no surprise that

both labour and scotland pinning this on the snp themselves to blame. absolutely. there actually is that wider question about what direction the snp takes next. you mentioned in the snp takes next. you mentioned in the downing street statement there, the downing street statement there, the reference to the gender recognition act. this was an attempt in scotland to make it easier for people to change their legally recognised gender. it was a nicola sturgeon plan. some were surprised that humza yousaf didn't dump it when he became first minister because it had become so controversial. in the end the uk government blocked it. but in terms of the politics of that, there has always been that question about what and snp leader should do. do they try and appeal to those snp members who want to see a lot of reform, want to see the party pursue bold and ambitious policies? 0r want to see the party pursue bold and ambitious policies? or do they listen to people more in the centre

who don't? who think you need to be more cautious when you are in power. that is the argument we are starting to hear from that is the argument we are starting to hearfrom kate forbes, assuming she puts her hat in the ring, my expectation is she will. you might hear some other wings of the party making the argument that you need to keep going with those older policies. the election process last year was brutal. it exposed some rifts in the snp which we hadn't seen for 20 years or so. alex salmond and nicola sturgeon had run the party with an iron fist and that meant the splits were not public at all. they came to the fore of the leadership election last year. the question now is will they do the same in the leadership campaign we are about to see? my guess is it won't be quite as personal. there is some regrets among the candidates about how bitter it got last year but if there are multiple

candidates, there will be splits and they will be discussed openly. let’s they will be discussed openly. let's to back to they will be discussed openly. let's go back to alexandra _ they will be discussed openly. let's go back to alexandra who is outside bute house. alexandra, i was interested the fact that humza yousaf took no questions from the media, even though they were all there probably waiting to ask questions. it really was just his statement and that's it, he's got out of the public view today. yes, it was a short statement and very heartfelt and quite emotional which is probably why he didn't want to take questions. he has probably had quite a difficult weekend weighing all this up and taking the decision to make the statement today. i know you were reading out some reaction there and there was the scottish conservatives who tabled this motion of no confidence

in humza yousaf. they have said the scottish conservatives have delivered on our promise to be a strong opposition to humza yousaf and the snp. we have forced humza yousaf out of office for repeatedly failing scotland and facing the boot of no confidence he has decided to quit rather than face a humiliating defeat. 0n quit rather than face a humiliating defeat. on a personal level they said they were humza yousaf and his family well. said they were humza yousaf and his famil well. �* . ., ., ~ , ., family well. alexandra, thank you very much- _ family well. alexandra, thank you very much- a _ family well. alexandra, thank you very much. a reminder _ family well. alexandra, thank you very much. a reminder of - family well. alexandra, thank you very much. a reminder of the - very much. a reminder of the breaking news this hour. humza yousaf has announced he is stepping down after his power—sharing deal with the green party fell apart last week. this is the moment that scotland was my first minister

announced his resignation.