Humza Yousaf, the leader of Scotland’s pro-independence Scottish National Party (SNP), has resigned following a week of turmoil triggered by his decision to scrap a coalition agreement with the Scottish Greens. This move further paves the way for the UK opposition Labour Party to regain ground in its former Scottish heartlands in a national election expected later this year. Yousaf’s departure comes just over a year after he replaced Nicola Sturgeon as first minister and SNP leader. His resignation has been attributed to a funding scandal, Sturgeon’s resignation as party leader last year, and internal divisions over the party’s stance on progressive policies. Caught between defending the progressive record of the coalition government and demands from some nationalists to abandon gender recognition reforms and focus on the economy, Yousaf was unable to strike a balance that would ensure his survival. The SNP has been losing popular support after 17 years of leading the Scottish government. Recent polling indicates that the Labour Party has overtaken the SNP in voting intentions for a Westminster election for the first time in a decade. Labour’s resurgence in Scotland adds to the challenges facing British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Conservative Party, which is lagging far behind Labour in UK-wide opinion polls. The Scottish parliament now has 28 days to choose a new first minister before an election is forced. Former SNP leader John Swinney and Yousaf’s former leadership rival Kate Forbes are seen as potential successors. If the SNP is unable to find a new leader who can command support in parliament, a Scottish election will be held.
SNP Leader Humza Yousaf Resigns, Paving Way for Labour Resurgence in Scotland
