Scottish government to face Holyrood vote of no confidence
A motion of no confidence in the Scottish government is due to be debated later on Wednesday.
Scottish Labour is pressing ahead with its motion despite Humza Yousaf announcing earlier this week his intention to stand down as SNP leader and first minister.
If the motion passes, all ministers in the minority SNP government will be forced to quit.
The Scottish parliament will then have 28 days to appoint a new first minister, failing which, a snap election would be called.
Despite having the backing of the Scottish Tories and Liberal Democrats, it is not expected to pass as it does not have the support of the Scottish Greens.
The debate and vote comes following the breakdown of the Bute House Agreement.
Within hours of the powersharing deal with the Scottish Greens coming to an end last week, Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross announced he would be bringing a motion of no confidence in the first minister.
Angry over the way the party was dumped from government, the Scottish Greens announced its MSPs would be backing the motion.
Scottish Labour then announced it was planning a motion of no confidence in the Scottish government.
All eyes were on Alba Party MSP Ash Regan, whose vote could potentially have played a key role in Mr Yousaf’s future.
Humza Yousaf announced he was stepping down on Monday. Pic: PA
Mr Yousaf reached out to his political opponents in an effort to stem the uprising but conceded that he had “underestimated the level of hurt and upset” his actions had caused Scottish Green colleagues.
Announcing his resignation on Monday, he said: “For a minority government to be able to govern effectively and efficiently, 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 whomever – simply for retaining power.”
Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross speaking to journalists on Tuesday. Pic: PA
On Tuesday morning, Mr Ross announced his party would no longer press ahead with the motion of no confidence in Mr Yousaf given his resignation.
However, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said his party would press on with its motion as he branded the SNP a “dysfunctional, chaotic, divided political party”.
Mr Sarwar believes the decision on Scotland’s new political leader should be put to the public.
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar. Pic: PA
Read more:
Who could replace Humza Yousaf?
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The search is currently on to find a new leader for the SNP and Scotland.
Mr Yousaf intends to remain in post until his successor is announced.
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The SNP is now accepting nominations, which will close at noon on Monday 6 May.
Prospective candidates will have to gain the support of 100 members from 20 different SNP branches to qualify for the contest.
John Swinney at Holyrood on Tuesday. Pic: PA
John Swinney has already said he is giving “very careful consideration” to the prospect of throwing his hat into the ring.
The former deputy first minister, and a close ally of Nicola Sturgeon, has already garnered support from senior figures within his party.
Mr Swinney said he was considering all issues and would have more to say “in the next few days”.
Kate Forbes speaking to reporters at Holyrood on Tuesday. Pic: PA
Former finance secretary Kate Forbes, who narrowly failed to beat Mr Yousaf in last year’s leadership election to replace then first minister Ms Sturgeon, is also considering running.
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Kate Forbes and John Swinney speaking to Sky News
She told Sky News: “I am not ruling myself out. I am still considering all the options, but I also know that there is a lot of support for me across the country and across the party, and last year proved that.
“What’s key now is to think about what the next few months hold, and to ensure that the party is able to move forward, to fight that election and to ensure we have the trust of the people.”
A workman saved a seven-year-old boy from a burning car in the aftermath of a deadly crash caused by a suicidal ex-pilot, an inquest has heard.
The schoolboy’s rescue came following the collision on the M6, which killed former RAF man Richard Woods and four others, in October last year.
Last week a coroner ruled that Woods, 40, took his own life by deliberately driving his Skoda the wrong way down the motorway while drunk and hitting a Toyota Yaris head-on.
The driver of the Toyota, Jaroslaw Rossa, 42, was also killed, along with his two sons, Filip, 15, and Dominic, seven, and his partner Jade McEnroe, 33.
Cockermouth Coroner’s Court heard on Thursday that Ms McEnroe’s son was also in the car but survived after workman Gavin Walsh came to his rescue at the scene, which was near Tebay services in Cumbria.
In a statement to the inquest, Mr Walsh said he was a passenger in a transit van travelling to Scotland when he witnessed the crash.
He jumped out of the vehicle and used a jack to smash the rear windscreen of the Toyota and pulled the boy out of the burning vehicle.
Mr Walsh said: “We really did try, I can assure everyone we did our best. We only had minimal time.
“I saved a life that day and I hope never to witness anything like that again.”
He added that he has never stopped thinking about the boy, and said: “I hope we will meet again one day and I will give you a massive hug.”
At the time, the family were returning to Glasgow from a trip to Legoland in Windsor, Berkshire.
The inquest heard that Wood, who was travelling at a speed of at least 65mph, would have been charged with manslaughter had he survived.
Recording conclusions of unlawful killing, Cumbria assistant coroner Margaret Taylor said: “I found that Jaroslaw, Jade, Filip and Dominic died as a consequence of the unlawful acts of another driver.”
The inquest heard how Mr Woods, from Cambridgeshire, had served a distinguished 14-year career in the RAF and was a flight instructor for BAE Systems at the time of his death.
Jade McEnroe. Pic: Cumbria Constabulary
Dominic and Filip. Pic: Cumbria Constabulary
In Ms Taylor’s record of inquest, Mr Woods was said to have been experiencing “a number of stressors in his life” and had a “history of harmful use of alcohol”.
Following the crash, he was found to be nearly four times over the legal drink-drive limit and a two-thirds empty bottle of gin was found in his car.
On the day of his death, concerns had been raised over his behaviour at a work conference near Preston in Lancashire.
Mr Woods failed to return to his seat after lunch and was later spotted driving erratically and swerving across three northbound carriageway lanes on the M6.
After pulling onto the hard shoulder, he then proceeded to U-turn and drove southward on lane three.
Filip, Dominic and Jaroslaw Rossa. Pic: Cumbria Constabulary
Detective Sergeant Deborah Story, from Cumbria Police, told the inquest that Mr Woods would have been prosecuted on four counts of manslaughter had he lived.
She said hypothetical charges of murder were considered by detectives but not thought appropriate because of a lack of information that Mr Woods knew the family or anything that provided a link between them.
Ms McEnroe’s parents, Marie McEnroe and George McNellis, told the coroner they thought it was “murder”.
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A statement from the mother of Filip and Dominic, and the ex-wife of Mr Rossa, Kamila, was read out at the inquest.
She said Mr Rossa, known as Jarek, was born in Poland where they became a couple and went on to have three boys.
He loved playing computer games and had “lots of friends”, she said, and worked at the Wagamama restaurant in Silverburn, Glasgow.
She said she was “devastated” over the deaths, adding: “Our lives will never be the same.
“I am heartbroken at the passing of my beloved angels Filip and Dominic.”
Marie McEnroe said her daughter, a spa therapist, had been in a relationship with Mr Rossa for about two-and-a-half years.
She said Jade had been a “brilliant mother” to her only child, was “really happy” with Mr Rossa and it was “lovely chaos” when all the boys were playing together.
Ms McEnroe added: “Life changed forever that day”.
Ms Taylor praised the “selfless acts of bravery” from those in the aftermath of the collision, including Mr Walsh, who she said went towards the burning car “without hesitation for his own safety”.
The coroner added: “Without his swift response, Jade’s child would also have perished.”
Addressing the bereaved family members, she said: “Your loss is unimaginable but you have conducted yourself with dignity and I thank you for that. I wish you strength for the future.”
Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK.
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