Humza Yousaf: Political future of Scotland’s first minister hangs in the balance as Greens back no-confidence motion

Published

7 months ago

April 26, 2024

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The Scottish Green Party will join with rival MSPs to back a no-confidence motion in First Minister Humza Yousaf next week, after the SNP kicked its coalition partners out of government.

Mr Yousaf announced his plan to cut ties with the Greens earlier on Thursday, following a bitter row over the SNP’s climbdown on climate targets.

And soon after, the Scottish Conservatives announced it would lodge a vote of no-confidence in him, claiming the first minister had “failed” in his role and had “focused on the wrong priorities for Scotland”.

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Both Labour and the Liberal Democrats agreed to back the motion, with its success hanging on whether Green Party MSPs joined the attack to give SNP critics a majority in Holyrood.

Its co-leaders Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater have now confirmed their party they will join forces to condemn Mr Yousaf’s leadership, with Green sources telling Sky News there was serious anger among the ousted party.

How Mr Yousaf’s ex-SNP leadership rival could be crucial in vote

In the Scottish parliament, the SNP has 63 seats out of 129, two short of an outright majority.

The Greens have seven, the Conservatives 31, Labour has 22, the Liberal Democrats have four, there is one Alba MSP Ash Regan – an ex-SNP leadership rival of Mr Yousaf’s – and there is also presiding officer Alison Johnstone who is both an MSP and Scotland’s equivalent of the Commons speaker.

If Ms Regan, who was formerly part of the SNP but defected to Alex Salmond’s Alba Party last October, backs Mr Yousaf then that would mean both sides having 64 votes, and Ms Johnstone would be expected to vote in favour of the status quo, so the first minister would survive.

But if Ms Regan votes against Mr Yousaf, then the opposition parties will have 65 votes against the SNP’s 63, and the first minister would lose.

If the no-confidence vote passes, it will still be up to Mr Yousaf to decide on how to respond. However, it puts increasing pressure on his position if he fails to hold the confidence of the majority of the parliament.

However, if a no-confidence vote was passed on the government, the SNP administration would have to resign and appoint a new first minister within 28 days or call an election.

Speaking at a news conference, Mr Harvie said: “Humza Yousaf becoming first minister was on the basis of a political cooperation which both parties members signed in good faith, which Humza Yousaf endorsed, and even two days ago was still endorsing.

“He’s now chosen to end that. That’s his decision and it can’t come without consequences.”

Both he and Ms Slater denied that supporting the no-confidence vote was “revenge”.

Mr Harvie added: “This is about how we achieve the greatest political change for Scotland.

“Humza Yousaf has decided to abandon the vehicle that was delivering that progressive change for Scotland. We think that’s a profound mistake.”

The power-sharing deal between the SNP and the Greens was made in 2021, after Nicola Sturgeon’s party came in just shy of an outright majority in the Holyrood election of the same year.

Both backers of Scottish independence, the Bute House Agreement between the parties – named after the first minister’s official residence in Edinburgh – brought the Greens into government for the first time anywhere in the UK, with both Ms Slater and Mr Harvie given ministerial posts.

But signs that the agreement was running into difficulty came after the Scottish government scrapped its commitment to cut emissions by 75% by 2030.

The Greens were also dismayed at the pause of puberty blockers in the wake of the landmark Cass review of gender services for under-18s in England and Wales.

The party had been expected to hold a vote on the future of the agreement, but before they got a chance, Mr Yousaf summoned his cabinet and announced on Thursday that the deal had “served its purpose”.

The first minister said he hoped to pursue a “less formal” agreement with his former partners and heralded what he called a “new beginning” for the SNP, saying his decision showed “leadership”.

But with the Greens now ready to join those against the SNP, there is a possibility it could instead prompt an end to his premiership.

Politics

California judge rules DAO members liable under partnership laws

Published

2 hours ago

November 19, 2024

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California judge rules DAO members liable under partnership laws

A16z Crypto’s Miles Jennings posted on X that the ruling is a “huge blow” to decentralized governance.

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Thousands of farmers to descend on Downing Street to protest against inheritance tax changes

Published

3 hours ago

November 19, 2024

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Thousands of farmers to descend on Downing Street to protest against inheritance tax changes

Thousands of farmers from across the UK are expected to gather outside Downing Street today – in the biggest protest yet against the government’s changes to inheritance tax rules.

The reforms, announced in last month’s budget, will mean farms worth over £1m will be subject to 20% inheritance tax from April 2026.

Farmers say that will lead to land being sold to pay the tax bill, impact food security and the future of British farming.

The Government insists it is “committed” to the farming industry but has had to make “difficult decisions”.

Farmers from Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and England will arrive in London to hear speeches from agricultural leaders.

Sky News understands TV presenter and farm owner Jeremy Clarkson, Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch and Lib Dem leader Ed Davey will also address crowds.

Protestors will then march around Parliament Square.

‘It’s really worrying’

“It’s unfortunate, as Labour had originally said they would support farmers,” said fourth-generation farmer Will Weaver, who is attending today’s rally.

His 500-acre cow and sheep farm in South Gloucestershire has been in his family since 1939.

“We’ve probably buried our head in the sand a little bit. I think, back of a fag-packet rough estimates, tax is going to be north of half a million [pounds].”

The government is keen to stress that farmers will get a decade to pay the bill – but that comes as little comfort to Will: “It’s more than our profit in any year that we’ve had in the last 10 years. Dad’s saying we’ll have to sell something. I don’t know if we’ll be able to raise that sort of money through a mortgage. It’s really worrying.”

As anger grows, there continues to be disagreement between the National Farmer’s Union and the Government over how many farms will actually be impacted by the change.

The Treasury says only the wealthiest estates, around 500 of them, will have to pay under the new rules – claiming 72% of farms won’t be impacted.

But farmers say that calculation is incorrect – citing that DEFRA’s own figures show 66% of farms are valued at over £1m and that the government has undervalued many estates.

At the same time as the rally, the NFU is addressing 1,800 of its members in Westminster before they lobby MPs.

More on this story:
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‘Understanding has been betrayed’

Max Sealy represents the NFU Dairy Board in the South of England.

“We have a detailed job to do to explain why this is wrong not just for farming, not just for the countryside and not just for our families, but for the economy in general,” he said.

“This is a bad tax – it’s been badly implemented because it will affect growth productivity in the country.”

He told Sky News Labour made promises to farmers ahead of the election.

“Both Steve Reed and Keir Starmer came to our conference two years ago and told us farming wasn’t a business like any others and that he understood the long-term nature of farming – that understanding has been betrayed,” he said.

And the government say:

In a joint statement, Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Steve Reed said: “Farmers are the backbone of Britain, and we recognise the strength of feeling expressed by farming and rural communities in recent weeks. We are steadfast in our commitment to Britain’s farming industry because food security is national security.

“It’s why we are investing £5bn into farming over the next two years – the largest amount ever directed towards sustainable food production, rural economic growth and nature’s recovery in our country’s history.

“But with public services crumbling and a £22bn fiscal hole that this Government inherited, we have taken difficult decisions.

“The reforms to Agricultural Property Relief ensure that wealthier estates and the most valuable farms pay their fair share to invest in our schools and health services that farmers and families in rural communities rely on.”

A Met Police spokesperson said it was “well prepared” for the protest and would have officers deployed to ensure it passes off “safely, lawfully and in a way that prevents serious disruption”.