Humza Yousaf's political future lies in the hands of seven Scottish Green MPs and Alba MP Ash Regan. ANDY BUCHANAN/AFP
Humza Yousaf will try to persuade the Scottish Greens to change their minds on a vote of no confidence in a desperate bid to hold on to the post of First Minister.
Stephen Flynn, leader of the Westminster Scottish National Party (SNP), said on Friday morning, which expects Mr Yousaf to turn to the party he abruptly kicked out of government just 24 hours ago when he tore up the coalition agreement.
The Scottish Greens were furious at their treatment and later confirmed they plan to support a motion of no confidence in Mr Yusuf, which was tabled at Holyrood by Douglas Ross, the Scottish Tory leader.
Should he lose the vote, Mr Yusuf is expected to resign.
It turns out that Anas Sarwar, the leader of the Labor Party, confirmed on Friday that he is bringing a motion of no confidence in the entire Scottish Government, seeking to ensure snap elections at Holyrood.
If this is passed, all ministers, including the First Minister, will be required to resign. Under the Tory vote of no confidence in Mr Yusuf, he is expected to resign by agreement but will have no legal obligation to do so.
Parliament will not be dissolved automatically if at least one of the motions passes. However, elections will be called if MPs are unable to vote for a new First Minister or government within 28 days.
Mr Sarwar said: “The question now is when, not if, Humza Yusuf will step down as First Minister. But I think it would be completely untenable for the Scottish National Party to suggest that they could impose another unelected First Minister on Scotland.
“This is why Scottish Labor have already said that we have no confidence in Humza Yousaf. But today we will also put before Parliament a motion that the Scottish Parliament has no confidence in this Scottish Government.
“Because ultimately I think it is the people of Scotland who should decide who leads this country, not just a small group of SNP members.»
Mr Flynn said the public did not want a Holyrood election to be called if Mr Yusuf was forced out of office and his replacement could not be voted on within 28 days.
Stephen Flynn, Leader of the Scottish National Party at Westminster, expects Mr Yousaf to try to persuade the Scottish Greens to change their minds. Photo: SHUTTERSTOCK
Mr Yousaf's political future lies in the hands of Scotland's seven Green MPs and Ash Regan, the Alba MP, who is demanding Mr Yousaf agree to her plan to hold a «referendum on a referendum», among other things, in exchange for her support.
Mr Flynn told the BBC on Friday morning that Mr Yousaf had told him he would «come out fighting» but he expected him to try to offer the Greens an olive branch .
“The beauty of minority government is that you have to talk to everyone,” Mr. Flynn said. “You must be able to discuss individual issues constructively.
“I expect politicians from other parties will also want to have these discussions because that is what the electorate expects.”
Asked whether this meant Mr Yousaf would be reaching out to the Greens, Mr Flynn said: “I expect that, just as I expect there will be conversations with others.”< /p>
The Greens said on Thursday they would vote for a motion of no confidence in Mr Yousaf.
However, senior SNP figures hope they will come under pressure from their own members, unhappy at the prospect of siding with the Tories and potentially bringing down a pro-independence government.
If only the Greens could be persuaded to abstain rather than vote against Mr Yousaf, he will survive a vote of confidence.
“I think it is important that we have cool heads, calm words and some reflection over the weekend about the potential consequences of any vote in the coming weeks,” he added Mr. Flynn.
«Not only in terms of who is First Minister and who is not, but also whether it will lead to an election or something else, and what the public perception of it will be.»
If Mr Yusuf were to step down, Kate Forbes, seen as the most likely successor as leader of the Scottish National Party, would face opposition from the Greens over what they see as her social and economic conservatism.
However, they will be less likely to oppose other potential candidates, with Neil Gray, the health secretary, or John Swinney, the former deputy first minister, mentioned as potential interim first ministers.
Patrick Harvey (right) and Lorna Slater, co-chairs of the Scottish Green Party Photo: Geoff J. Mitchell/Getty Images
Lorna Slater, co-leader of the Green party, on Thursday accused Mr Yousaf of betraying future generations by tearing up their agreement.
Ms Slater admitted on Friday morning that there had been «a lively internal debate» within her party » over whether to vote against Mr Yousaf, and did not rule out that the Greens would change their minds about a vote of confidence in exchange for «concessions.»
«Our priorities are still the same,» she said. «We are working towards an independent Scotland that is fairer and greener and we will have to see how this week plays out.
«The dice are still falling here, we will have to see what comes out of this and decisions are made as events arise.
“We will have to look at how events arise and how we can best use our influence, our voices in Parliament, to achieve what is important to the Scottish Greens.
p>“Yesterday we decided that we will not support the first minister and will pass a vote of no confidence in him. We could have had this discussion again, but no one contacted us and tried to change our minds.»
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