What's happened
Humza Yousaf, the First Minister of Scotland, is facing votes of no confidence in the Scottish Parliament. Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross has pushed for a vote of no confidence in Yousaf, while Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has tabled a motion of no confidence in the entire Scottish Government. Yousaf's political future hangs in the balance as these motions unfold.
Why it matters
The votes of no confidence in Humza Yousaf and the Scottish Government are significant as they could lead to a change in leadership in Scotland. The outcome of these votes will have a direct impact on the political landscape in Scotland and could potentially trigger a Scottish election. The decisions made in the coming days will shape the future governance of Scotland and have implications for the wider UK political scene.
What the papers say
The Scotsman reports on the chaos in the Scottish Government as opposition parties push for votes of no confidence in Humza Yousaf and the government. BBC News provides an overview of how confidence votes work in the Scottish Parliament and the implications of a successful vote of no confidence. The coverage from multiple sources highlights the political turmoil and uncertainty facing the Scottish leadership.
How we got here
The crisis in the Scottish Government stems from the termination of the Bute House Agreement and the expulsion of the Scottish Greens from the government. These actions by Humza Yousaf have led to a loss of confidence from opposition parties, prompting motions of no confidence. The Scottish Parliament's procedures allow for such motions to be tabled, leading to a period of intense political scrutiny and potential change in leadership.
Common question
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Humza Haroon Yousaf MSP is a Scottish National Party politician who has been Cabinet Secretary for Justice since 26 June 2018 and the Member of the Scottish Parliament for Glasgow Pollok since 2016.
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The Scottish National Party is a Scottish nationalist and social-democratic political party in Scotland. The SNP supports and campaigns for Scottish independence within the European Union, with a platform based on civic nationalism.
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The Scottish National Party–Scottish Greens agreement, also referred to as the Bute House Agreement, is a power-sharing agreement between the Scottish National Party and the Scottish Greens which was agreed in August 2021 to support the Third Sturgeon g
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Scottish Labour is a social democratic political party in Scotland, currently led by Richard Leonard. It is an autonomous section of the national Labour Party.
Labour currently hold 23 of 129 seats in the Scottish Parliament.
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Anas Sarwar is a Scottish politician who served as Deputy Leader of the Scottish Labour Party from 2011 to 2014. He has been a Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Glasgow region since 2016, having previously been Member of Parliament for Glasgow Cen