Politics latest: Humza Yousaf to address media as fresh bid launched to get rid of first minister (2024)

Labour's shadow chancellor says it is "time for a fresh start in Scotland", reiterating calls for a fresh election from Scottish's Labour's Anas Sarwar.

Scottish Labour are putting forward a motion of no condolence in the government today.

They have also said they will back a motion of no confidence next week in the embattled first minister Humza Yousaf.

"The chaos and division at the heart of the SNP is having a real impact on public services and the lives of communities across Scotland," Rachel Reeves says.

"And we now have two broken governments - the SNP in Scotland and the Conservatives in Westminster.

"It is time for fresh elections in Scotland and across the UK."

The shadow chancellor was speaking during a visit to Tees Valley today, where she and Labour leaderSir Keir Starmer are discussing the cost of living.

Earlier, the Scottish Labour leader said it is a matter of "when, not if" the first minister resigns.

"But this isn't just about him [Humza Yousaf]," Mr Sarwar said.

"We have no confidence in this SNP government.

"That is why we need an election right now."

Scottish politics is in "utter chaos", a Greens source tells Sky News, as the first minister faces a no-confidence motion and Scottish Labour has said it will file a separate motion against the government.

The Greens, who were ousted from a power-sharing agreement with the SNP yesterday, have said they will back the motion of no confidence in Humza Yousaf.

However, the Greens source said the party is undecided on the motion of no confidence in the government.

The leader of Scottish Labour says it is a matter of "when, not if" the first minister resigns.

Humza Yousaf is facing a motion of no confidence, put forward by the Conservatives and backed by the Greens, Labour and Lib Dems, next week.

However, Labour has said it will also table a motion of no confidence in the SNP government.

In a video posted on X, Anas Sarwar said "this isn't just about him [Humza Yousaf]".

"We have no confidence in this SNP government.

"That is why we need an election right now."

A short time ago, the Alba Party said it would not be backing Labour's motion (see previous post).

However Alba's one MSP, Ash Regan, may prove to have the deciding vote in the motion of no confidence in Mr Yousaf.

Scotland's Alba Party says it won't back Labour's motion of no confidence in the Scottish government, warning them to "beware in their glee".

Earlier, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said he would lay down the motion - which is separate to an earlier no-confidence motion in Humza Yousaf as first minister - later today (see post at 10.12am).

However, Sky's Scotland correspondent Connor Gillies says Alba's announcement leaves the Labour motion weakened before it has even started.

An Alba Party spokesperson said: "Anas Sarwar’s grandstanding is just an attempt to remain relevant. However, unionist parties should beware in their glee."

"As much as Humza Yousaf and the SNP find themselves in a tricky predicament, independence supporters will not turn back to the yoke of Tory and Labour mediocrity.

"Alba Party are now ensuring that independence supporters have a party they can turn to.“

Alex Salmond's pro-independence Alba Party has one MSP in the Scottish parliament (see post at 10.55am).

Ash Regan, once a rival to Humza Yousaf for SNP leader, defected to the party last year.

While the party isn't backing the motion against the government as a whole, she may well have the deciding vote in the motion of no confidence against Mr Yousaf next week (see post at 9.47am).

Sky'sConnor Gillies saysthat currently makes her "possibly the most powerful woman in Scotland".

With the local elections just over a week away, deputy political editor Sam Coates explains why they matter and what they might tell us about the upcoming general election.

People voting in local elections in England on 2 May will need to provide photo ID.

It is the second year the requirement has been in place - but in 2023,14,000 people couldn't cast their ballot because they didn't take ID to the polling booth.

There are 22 different types of ID you can use - and if you don't have any of them, you can register for a Voter Authority Certificate.

Here's everything you need to know to avoid being caught out:

Humza Yousaf's future as first minister is hanging in the balance today ahead of a motion of no confidence next week.

Now, as leader of a minority government, his fate may be hanging on just one vote - that of a former SNP leadership rival.

We take a look at how:

The numbers

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

The Conservatives have31;

Labour has 22;

The Greens haveseven;

The Liberal Democrats have four;

The Alba Party has one;

There is also one presiding officer Alison Johnstone, who is both an MSP and Scotland's equivalent of the Commons speaker.

How the numbers are expected to fall

The motion of no confidence was brought by the Scottish Conservatives.

The Greens, Labour and the Lib Dems have all said they are backing the motion.

That would translate into 64 votes against the first minister versus 63 SNP votes.

So the one Alba vote is expected to be key.

How it may all come down to one ... Ash Regan

Once an SNP leadership rival to Mr Yousaf, Ash Regan defected to Alex Salmond's Alba Party last October.

If she backs Mr Yousaf then that would mean both sides have 64 votes.

Ms Johnstone would then 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.

He wouldn't be compelled to resign in this situation, but he'd be under huge pressure to step aside.

More to come

And remember, Scottish Labour say they are going to lay down a motion of no confidence in the Scottish government, which would trigger a separate vote (see post at 10.12am).

Scotland's embattled first minister is expected to make a "major announcement on housing" in the coming hours, sources close to Humza Yousaf tell Sky News.

Sources say he will not be resigning.

Mr Yousaf is expected to speak to the media this afternoon.

It comes after he cancelled a speech he was due to deliver on independence in Glasgow this lunchtime (see previous post).

Labour's rail plan is a landmark moment.

Unlike many aspects of the party's policy offers to date, it is detailed, comes with a blueprint for what will happen on day one, and Whitehall will understand how to implement it.

It is, after all, winding back the clock.

Even the rail companies themselves say change to the train network is needed - though they inevitably don't like this version of their future - and it is not without controversy.

But the row is a fight Labour want to have.

After months of a pro-business love-in from Rachel Reeves and the Labour leadership, it is the single most concrete measure worrying business so far, according to figures from FTSE 100 firms I talked to this week.

They are watching closely to see whether the tendency to squeeze and bash business, evident under ex-leader Jeremy Corbyn, remains in the party's DNA, even if it is well hidden.

Sir Keir Starmer's plan allows the railway companies to come back into public ownership within five years.

But will it leave the railways better off?

Read the full analysis here:

Scotland's Labour leader Anas Sarwar is to lay down a motion of no confidence in the Scottish government later today, Sky News understands.

This would be separate to the existing no-confidence motion which is in Humza Yousaf as first minister.

If the motion of no confidence in Mr Yousaf passes next week, he would not be compelled to resign - although failing to hold the confidence of the majority of parliament would put significant pressure on his position.

However, if there is a vote of no confidence in the government the first minister and ministers would be forced to step down.

Parliament would have 28 days to choose a new first minister or call an election.

"I think it is now a matter of when, not if Humza Yousaf resigns as first minister," Mr Sarwar told LBC.

"But I think it would be completely untenable for the SNP to presume they can impose another unelected first minister in Scotland.

"Ultimately I think it is the people of Scotland that should decide who leads this country and not just a small group of SNP members."