Recap on this week's first minister's questions at the Scottish Parliament
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FMQs: Follow along live as Humza Yousaf faces questioning
Key Events
- Humza Yousaf to take on FMQs ahead of SNP indy conference
- FM to face pressure over Circularity Scotland administration and Lorna Slater vote of no confidence
- Nicola Sturgeon expected to return after being arrested
Hello and welcome to The Scotsman’s live blog. My name is Rachel Amery and I’m a political correspondent - I’m at the Scottish Parliament to watch FMQs and bring you all the latest developments as they happen.
The Scotsman website’s got a new look
While we are waiting for FMQs to get underway in the debating chamber, have you seen our new website?
It launched this morning and although I may be biased here, I think it looks amazing, and it runs so much faster as well. Go have a look around before FMQs starts at midday. https://www.scotsman.com/
Let’s catch up on what has been happening this week in Scottish politics.
- On Monday Sir Keir Starmer was in Leith to announce Labour’s plans for a publicly-owned energy company. On the back of this, Aberdeen’s former lord provost quit the Labour group in anger at the party’s stance on North Sea oil and gas.
- Humza Yousaf unveiled the SNP’s latest independence paper, which focused on the need for a written constitution. This is ahead of the SNP indy conference in Dundee this weekend.
- Circularity Scotland, the firm set up to manage Scotland’s DRS, appointed administrators and Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater survived a vote of no confidence.
- Rebel backbencher Fergus Ewing supported the vote of no confidence in Ms Slater - my colleague Conor has been looking at what that means for the SNP whip.
- Nicola Sturgeon came back to Holyrood after being arrested. She held a stage-managed press conference with journalists to mark the occasion.
Douglas Ross asks question on Fergus Ewing
FMQs gets underway and the Scottish Conservatives are focusing on rebel backbencher voting against the SNP during the vote of no confidence in Lorna Slater. Douglas Ross asks if Humza Yousaf will sack him.
Humza Yousaf said: “Not going to go into issues that are matters for our group. What I would say not going to take lectures on leadership from Douglas Ross. Douglas Ross who was unable to muster his own Scottish Tory MPs to vote against Boris Johnson.”
Take a look at our piece on this: https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/fergus-ewing-decision-a-test-of-humza-yousafs-authority-within-the-snp-4191697
Questioning the potential suspension of Fergus Ewing
Humza Yousaf has told Douglas Ross, who is a farmer, that he should listen to farmers.
Mr Ross said: “He won’t suspend Nicola Sturgeon looks like he will suspend Fergus Ewing for challenging green incompetence.
“From the Highland Show NFU highlighted concerns with the nationalists’ pact with the Greens. They said hardening of the Green agenda giving cause for concern. They doubt very much solutions to key rural issues will be possible while the Bute House Agreement continues. Doesn’t this show the SNP has abandoned rural Scotland?”
First Minister branded “useless"
Douglas Ross accuses Humza Yousaf of abandoning rural Scotland.
Mr Yousaf said: “I will continue to show leadership not just in my party but this country, to protect it from the harm, misery and cruelty of the UK Conservative government.”
Mr Ross branded the Greens “extremist” and then called the first minister “useless”. This has not gone down well in the chamber and now Presiding Officer Alison Johnstone is telling him off for not being courteous.
Speak to farmers
Douglas Ross has now told Humza Yousaf to speak to farmers when he goes to the Royal Highland Show tomorrow.
Our Rural Affairs Correspondent Katharine Hay is at the show for The Scotsman - keep an eye on the website for all her takes on what is happening, and if you’re there, go and say hello to her.
Anas Sarwar goes in on Labour’s policy for green energy
Anas Sarwar is starting his section by highlighting Sir Keir Starmer’s announcement earlier this week to create a publicly-owned energy company if Labour win the next general election.
This comes after Labour said it would not grant any new exploration licences for North Sea oil and gas fields.
I was at the announcement earlier this week, take a look at what happened: https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/gb-energy-keir-starmer-says-labour-can-be-trusted-on-renewable-energy-despite-u-turn-on-green-fund-4188271
Anas Sarwar says: “Is Humza Yousaf so blinded by opposition to a Labour government he can’t see what’s good for Scotland?”
Humza Yousaf says GB Energy should be based in Scotland because it has the majority of the UK’s renewable powers.
He then called for independence and said: “He says we should be thanking Westminster for the crumbs off the table - I have far more ambition than the Labour party.”
That seems to have got a huge cheer from the SNP benches.
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