Swinney ‘considers’ move as SNP leader Yousaf quits
JOHN Swinney has said he is giving “very careful consideration” to standing to be the next leader of the SNP in the wake of Humza Yousaf’s emotional resignation.
Mr Yousaf had been facing two votes of no confidence in the Scottish Parliament as a result of his decision to terminate the powersharing deal that the SNP had with the Scottish Greens.
But before those votes could take place, he announced he would be stepping down from the post he said he had been “blessed” to have.
Just 90 minutes later, Mr Swinney, who served as Scottish deputy first minister for eight years under Mr Yousaf’s predecessor Nicola Surgeon, said he was giving “active consideration” to running for the job.
Mr Swinney, who left the role of deputy first minister when Nicola Sturgeon stepped down as first minister last year, said he had been “somewhat overwhelmed” by messages from colleagues in the SNP urging him to take on the role.
Senior figures within the SNP, including long-serving MP Pete Wishart, former Westminster leader Ian Blackford, and fellow MP Alyn Smith have all called on him to stand. Speaking in London, where he had been for an event to mark the upcoming 25th anniversary of devolution, he said he had had “many, many messages from colleagues across the party”. He added he was “giving that issue very active consideration” with Mr Swinney stating: “It is likely I will have more to say about that in the days to come.”
He added: “I’ve got lots of things to think about. There’s the whole question of my family, and I have make sure I do the right thing by family; they are precious to me.” But he also said: “I have to do the right thing by my party and my country. So there is lots to be thought about.”
His comments came after Mr Yousaf announced he was stepping down as SNP leader and Scottish First Minister, though he said he would stay on in the post until a successor was found. Whoever takes on the role is likely to have to find a way to work with the Scottish Greens at Holyrood, with Mr Yousaf admitting he had “clearly underestimated the level of hurt and upset” he had caused when he ended the powersharing deal between the two parties.
Until last week, the Scottish Greens had been part of the Scottish Government, with co-leaders Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater holding ministerial roles. But that was ended on Thursday when tensions between the two parties came to a head and Mr Yousaf ended the deal.
That left Mr Yousaf facing two votes of no confidence – one in him as first minister and one in his Government as a whole. After a weekend contemplating his options, he announced he would be stepping down.
With the SNP lacking an overall majority at Holyrood, and with the Greens having made clear they could no longer support Mr Yousaf remaining in post, there had been speculation he could turn to Ash Regan of the Alba Party in a bid to win a no confidence vote.
But with an arrangement with Alba, led by Alex Salmond, unpalatable to many within the SNP, Mr Yousaf said he was not willing to “do deals with whomever simply for retaining power”. Instead, he appealed to opposition leaders at Holyrood to “collaborate” with the SNP as they seek to run a minority administration under a new leader.
He had hoped to have a “less formal arrangement” with the Greens – who have seven MSPs – but he
acknowledged: “Unfortunately, in ending the Bute House Agreement in the manner I did, I clearly underestimated the level of hurt and upset I caused Green colleagues.”
Announcing his resignation, Mr Yousaf stressed: “I bear no ill will, and certainly bear no grudge against anyone.
“Politics can be a brutal business. It takes its toll on your physical and mental health. Your family suffer along side you.”
He became emotional as he paid tribute to his “wonderful wife” and “beautiful children”, telling his family: “You are truly everything to me.” He added: “And although, as you can tell, I am sad my time as first minister is ending, I am so grateful and so blessed for having the opportunity afforded to so few to lead my country.”