Scotland News Recap: Race starts to replace First Minister after Yousaf steps down | NHS workers 'frustrated' by political turmoil | Nominations open for SNP leader
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The Scottish Greens say they are already getting “back to business” after being thrown out of government less than a week ago.
Gillian Mackay, the party’s business manager, said: “We bear no personal animosity to the First Minister or the SNP, and, as Scottish Greens, are already getting back to business.
“At the same time, we are proud to be welcoming hundreds of new Scottish Green members who care deeply about our climate, equalities and the fairer, greener society that we can build in an independent Scotland.”
Our Political Editor has this footage of Kate Forbes in Holyrood - who is refusing to say whether or not she will be standing to be the next First Minister.
John Swinney says the SNP needs to “come together” after Humza Yousaf’s resignation.
Outside Holyrood he told Sky News: “I’ve a long day ahead in parliament, and obviously lots to think about today.
“The SNP has got to come together as a political party, that’s the only way parties thrive and succeed.
“These are the issues I am giving consideration to and I will have more to say in the next few days.”
He added: “I think what’s important after the dramatic news yesterday is we take time to consider carefully all the implications and that is what I am doing, as is everyone involved in taking that decision.”
So what do we know about John Swinney, the man tipped to be the next First Minister?
You can take a look at our profile of the man who has been a lifelong SNP member and has held some of the top jobs in government: John Swinney: Who is the SNP veteran who could replace Humza Yousaf as First Minister?
Kate Forbes has said she is still weighing up her options on running for the SNP leadership, but there is a “groundswell of support” for her in the party.
The former finance secretary said she would consider what is best for “the party, the country and my family”.
She told reporters at Holyrood: “It’s still early days.
“We’ll obviously be considering things over the next few hours and so on – nobody’s declared yet, so I think we do still have a bit of time.”
Asked if she was tempted to run, she said: “I think for me it’s clear I have a groundswell of support amongst the party.
“That was clear from the last contest and clearly we need to weigh up what is in the best interests of the party, the country and my family.
“It’s what I’ve said quite consistently over the last year that if I were to run, those would be the conditions.”
Ivan McKee MSP, who ran Kate Forbes’s leadership campaign against Humza Yousaf last year, says he is backing her once again.
He told LBC she is the right person to “reach out to the electorate”.
Mr McKee said: “It is important we move on and get the right person in place to take us forward.
“I didn’t support Humza last year.
“I think he’s had a difficult year, but he recognises himself that he was not the right person for the job.
“This time the party needs to take time to consider the options seriously.
“We need to look outside the bubble, look at what the people of Scotland want to see, and look at how we win back the voters we have lost and other voters out there who could support the SNP if we give them the right offer with the right vision and a fresh perspective.
“It is important we get it right this time, that’s why having a contest is important.
“I continue to believe Kate Forbes is the person that can reach out to the electorate.”
Kate Forbes says she is not ruling herself out of standing for First Minister.
She said: “It is very early days but I know there is a groundswell of support for me, certainly from the last contest.
“But we need to get a leader that unites the party, and takes the party forward into an election.
“Whilst I am weighing up all my options I also need to know it’s the right decision for the party and the country, apart from myself.”
She says John Swinney is “extremely competent” and is “much loved and respected” in the SNP.
However she added: “I’m not ruling myself out.
“I am still considering all my options, but I also know 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 ensure the party is able to move forward to fight an election while having the trust of the people.
“What all of us should be doing is putting the country and party first - that’s what I’ll be doing while I evaluate what I should do.”
Ms Forbes won 48 per cent of the vote when she stood against Humza Yousaf to be SNP leader last year.
Back to John Swinney - he says it “wouldn’t be my style” to ignore the people telling him to run for First Minister.
He says he is giving a “great deal of thought” to whether to run and said he wants to make sure the decision is the right one for his family, the SNP and the whole of Scotland.
When asked why he decided not to run for First Minister last year, he said “events change”.
Polling expert Professor Sir John Curtice says Humza Yousaf’s downfall could be “good news” for the SNP going forward.
Speaking to BBC Lunchtime Live, he broke down a poll taken after Mr Yousaf scrapped the Bute House Agreement last week and said his popularity as First Minister suffered.
Professor Curtice said: “His downfall is probably good news for the SNP in one sense in that it does give them a possibility of putting in place a leader who might prove to be more effective in doing the job in the eyes of the public, including those who voted for the SNP in the past.”
The poll did not ask the electorate about Kate Forbes as a potential replacement as First Minister - but it did ask about John Swinney.
Professor Curtice added: “It found that amongst 2019 SNP voters, about 50 per cent of them said they felt favourably toward him, around 20 per cent said they felt unfavourably.”
He added Mr Swinney can deflect criticism, is seen as a “safe pair of hands” and can “avoid difficult questions on programmes like this in a way that frankly no other Scottish politician is good at - but of course that’s only part of what’s needed.”
That’s all from our live blog today - thank you for sticking with us in what has been another tumultuous day in the Scottish Parliament.
We’ll be back in the Scottish Parliament first thing tomorrow to bring you all the latest as it happens, so make sure you keep an eye on The Scotsman’s politics homepage for that.
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