Humza Yousaf resignation: Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar to continue with government no-confidence vote

Party leader Anas Sarwar says he will continue with his motion despite Humza Yousaf’s resignation, as the “principle” still stands

Scottish Labour says it will continue to push its no-confidence motion in the Scottish Government, saying they are ready to win an election “tomorrow”.

Last week party leader Anas Sarwar announced he was launching a no-confidence motion in the government after the Bute House Agreement was scrapped.

That motion has now been backed by enough MSPs to push it to a vote, which Mr Sarwar says is still needed despite Humza Yousaf announcing he will resign as First Minister.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar. Image: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images.

Speaking on BBC Good Morning Scotland, Mr Sarwar said: “The principle of our motion still stands.

“I don’t believe the SNP can give a stable, competent government - it is unleadable and ungovernable, and that is why we need a change of government.

“When Rishi Sunak took over [as Prime Minister] from Liz Truss, Nicola Sturgeon said the door of Downing Street was not a revolving door or a plaything of one party and the same applies here.”

He says the SNP is “deeply divided” and “dysfunctional”, and warns this internal debate will distract from other issues such as NHS waiting lists and the cost-of-living crisis.

First Minister Humza Yousaf gets emotional while paying tribute to his family, towards the end of his resignation speech at Bute House, his official residence in Edinburgh. Picture: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire

Mr Sarwar also warned the bookies’ favourite to replace Humza Yousaf, the former deputy first minister John Swinney, was “at the heart of the SNP machine for the last 40 years”.

Should Scottish Labour win their vote of no confidence in the government, all government ministers would have to resign and parliament would be dissolved, which could lead to a Scottish election.

Mr Sarwar says he is “ready” for an election: “I will take it tomorrow - we have the right priorities and we are ready to go both financially and our campaign machine.”

On the other side of the Holyrood chamber, Scottish Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser says his party will not support any SNP candidate for First Minister.

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Mr Fraser, who has previously stood against Mr Swinney in numerous elections, said it would be a “serious mistake” to elect him as the country needs a “fresh start”.

He said: “If Scotland wants to move forward, we can’t continue with the same old faces and the same old story we’ve had for the last 17 years from the SNP.

“We need a fresh start and I think electing a candidate who is representing the past would be a serious error.

“That was the mistake they made with Humza Yousaf - Humza Yousaf came in saying he was going to continue the ruinous legacy of Nicola Sturgeon.

“For the SNP to do the same again would just add to the errors we’ve seen over the past year.”