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2024 Scottish government crisis
 edit

2024 Scottish government crisis
 
Humza Yousaf announcing his intention to resign as SNP leader on 29 April 2024
Date25–29 April 2024
Cause
MotiveTo declare no confidence in Humza Yousaf
ParticipantsConservative, Labour, Green, Liberal Democrat and Alba MSPs
Outcome

In April 2024, Humza Yousaf, first minister of Scotland and leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP), faced a confidence crisis following his termination of the Bute House Agreement, a power-sharing agreement between the SNP and the Scottish Greens, which had previously allowed his party to govern.

The agreement was formed following the 2021 Scottish Parliament election in which the SNP, led by Nicola Sturgeon, fell one seat short of an overall majority: it detailed areas of collaboration between the SNP and the Greens, including on issues such as climate change, economic recovery, child poverty, the environment, energy and the constitution. Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater, the co-leaders of the Greens, were appointed ministers. Initially popular with the SNP membership, dissatisfaction grew within the parliamentary party on the agreement and the Greens' position in government; in September 2023 Fergus Ewing was suspended from the party for voting against Slater in a confidence motion. Following the wellbeing economy secretary Màiri McAllan's announcement in April 2024 that the government—then led by Yousaf—were to change key climate change targets the Greens scheduled a vote on whether to remain in the agreement. On 25 April, before the vote was due to take place, Yousaf terminated the agreement and announced his intention to govern as a minority: Harvie and Slater's ministerial posts were abolished and his first government dissolved.

At First Minister's Questions in the afternoon the Scottish Conservatives announced that they would table a vote of no confidence in Yousaf; the following day Scottish Labour said that they would table a different motion, this time in the entire government. The Greens stated that all seven of their MSPs would vote against Yousaf in the Conservative motion: this meant that if all non-SNP MSPs[n 1] voted against Yousaf the vote would be successful. Ash Regan, the sole MSP from the pro-independence Alba Party and who had defected from the SNP the year prior, held the unofficial casting vote: if she backed the government the vote would be tied at 64–64, and the impartial presiding officer would have voted, by convention in favour of the government; if she voted against it, the motion would have been successful at 63–65. Regan sent a list of requests to Yousaf in order to gain her support while he contacted party leaders for talks at Bute House, which were rejected by the Conservatives, Labour, Liberal Democrats and Greens. On 29 April Yousaf announced his resignation, saying he was not willing to trade his principles to remain in power. Following the announcement the Labour motion, scheduled for 1 May, went ahead: it was defeated with the help of Green MSPs.

Background edit

Bute House Agreement edit

Main article: Bute House Agreement
 
Scottish ministers on the steps of Bute House, the first minister's official residence: left to right—Patrick Harvie, Nicola Sturgeon, Lorna Slater

The Scottish electoral system is designed to make majority government difficult to achieve for any single party.[1] The first election to the Scottish Parliament, held in 1999 following its establishment, resulted in it being hung: Scottish Labour and the Scottish Liberal Democrats formed a coalition, with two Lib Dems becoming cabinet members.[2] The 2003 election saw the Labour–Lib Dem coalition returned, although by a finer margin than before.[3] In 2007 the Scottish National Party (SNP) became the largest party, forming a minority government; this was followed by the party unexpectedly winning an outright majority in 2011,[4] but was reduced to minority status again in 2016.[5]

The 2021 election left the SNP, then led by Nicola Sturgeon, on 64 seats: one short of an overall majority.[6] [Deal with the Scottish Greens]...

In February 2023 Sturgeon announced her resignation as first minister of Scotland.[7] Three people declared their intention to stand in the ensuing leadership contest: Humza Yousaf, the health secretary, Ash Regan, a former community safety minister, and Kate Forbes, the finance secretary. During the campaign Forbes and Regan both publicly spoke out in opposition to the agreement,[8] whereas Yousaf supported its continuation.[9] He won the leadership on 27 March, beating out Forbes after Regan was eliminated on the first round.[10] Following Yousaf's election the Greens decided to stay in the agreement, which would have very likely ended if Forbes or Regan had led the government instead.[11]

Termination edit

 
Yousaf answering questions in Parliament shortly after the dissolution of his first government

The co-operation deal was initially popular within the SNP, with around 95 per cent of the party membership voting in favour of it.[12]


At 7:00 pm on 24 April Yousaf told his advisers, senior party members and members of his private office that the agreement was to end. At 7:50 am the following day Slater and Harvie arrived for a meeting at Bute House, where they were told of the deal's termination and that they were to be removed as ministers: the pair then left the building and travelled to Parliament without a ministerial car. A cabinet meeting followed at 8:30 am in which government ministers agreed to the decision.[13] At a press conference at 10:00 am Yousaf confirmed the ending of the deal, saying that "the agreement was intended to provide stability to Scottish government, and it has made possible a number of achievements, but it has served its purpose".

Events following edit

 
The composition of the Scottish Parliament in 2023. The SNP   are one seat short of an overall majority.
Figures in the Alba Party
 
Ash Regan, the party's sole MSP
 
Alex Salmond, party leader

First Minister's Questions occurs in the Scottish Parliament each Thursday for 45 minutes, beginning at noon.[14]

Resignation edit

While a route through this week's vote of no confidence was possible, I am not willing to trade my values and principles or do deals with whomever simply for retaining power. After spending the weekend reflecting ... I've concluded that repairing our relationship across the divide can only be done with someone else at the helm.

Humza Yousaf, resignation speech

At 11:00 pm on 28 April The Times reported that Yousaf was planning to announce his resignation the following day and had informed senior party members of his intentions.[15] The following morning Bute House confirmed that a press conference was to occur at noon and that the first minister would make a statement on his future. As expected Yousaf announced his resignation at the conference.

Aftermath edit

Main articles: 2024 Scottish National Party leadership election and Swinney government
 
John Swinney swearing in as first minister at the Court of Session on 8 May 2024

The Conservatives withdrew their motion, with Ross saying that had "achieved its purpose". Labour announced that their motion would still go ahead, which the Greens criticised as unnecessary and "parliamentary game playing". On 1 May it was defeated with the help of Green MSPs; Regan, however, voted in favour of it.

Nominations for the ensuing leadership election opened at 11:59 pm on the 29th and were to close at noon on 6 May.[16] It was expected that Forbes would stand again.[17] John Swinney, Sturgeon's government deputy, said that he was considering a bid when questioned shortly after Yousaf's resignation speech.[18] On 2 May he declared his candidacy in Edinburgh and said that Forbes would be welcomed into a government he would lead;[19] shortly afterwards she announced that she would not stand, endorsing Swinney.[20] Graeme McCormick, an SNP activist, stated on the 5th that he had secured enough nominations from party members to stand, but after talks with Swinney that afternoon he decided that he would not seek the leadership. With no other candidates declaring, Swinney was announced as leader shortly after noon the following day.

Yousaf tendered his resignation to the King on 7 May. Swinney became Parliament's nominee for first minister that afternoon with 64 votes: 63 SNP MSPs plus Regan. The Greens abstained, with Slater saying that the government did not have an "automatic right to our votes". He was sworn in as first minister on the 8th at the Court of Session. His minority government remained largely unchanged from Yousaf's: Forbes was given the role of deputy first minister as well as responsibility for the economy and the Gaelic language; Shona Robison—Yousaf's deputy—retained her role as finance secretary with increased responsibility for local government; McAllan kept her position but lost responsibility of the economy; the position of minister for independence, created by Yousaf, was abolished; and the number of junior ministerial positions was slightly reduced.

References and notes edit

Notes

  1. ^ Barring the presiding officer, who is impartial

References

  1. ^ Denver & MacAllister 1999, p. 11; Johns, Mitchell & Carman 2013, p. 158.
  2. ^ Denver & MacAllister 1999, p. 12; Lynch 2001, pp. 29–33.
  3. ^ Denver 2003, pp. 32–33.
  4. ^ McCrone 2009, p. xi; Johns, Mitchell & Carman 2013, pp. 158 and 163.
  5. ^ Cairney 2016, p. 278.
  6. ^ MacMillan & Henderson 2021, p. 38.
  7. ^ Bennie 2023, p. 4; Mitchell 2023, p. 275.
  8. ^ Bennie 2023, p. 5; Cochrane 2024.
  9. ^ Mitchell 2023, p. 280.
  10. ^ Bennie 2023, p. 5; Mitchell 2023, pp. 276, 283–284.
  11. ^ Bennie 2023, p. 6; Mitchell 2023, p. 285.
  12. ^ Andrews 2023; Pooran 2023.
  13. ^ Andrews & Boothman 2024; McDonald 2024; Carrell 2024.
  14. ^ "About questions and answers". parliament.scot.
  15. ^ McDonald 2024; Andrews 2024a.
  16. ^ Harness & Esson 2024.
  17. ^ Andrews 2024b.
  18. ^ Butler 2024.
  19. ^ Mitchell 2024.
  20. ^ Maidment & Johnson 2024.

Sources edit

Books and journals edit

  • Bennie, Lynn (June 2023). "A Critical Time for the SNP: A New Leader and 'First Activist'". Political Insight. 14 (2): 4–8. doi:10.1177/20419058231181276a.
  • Cairney, Paul (August 2016). "The Scottish Parliament Election 2016: Another Momentous Event but Dull Campaign". Scottish Affairs. 25 (3): 277–293. doi:10.3366/scot.2016.0136.
  • Denver, David (August 2003). "A 'Wake Up!' Call to the Parties? The Results of the Scottish Parliament Elections 2003". Scottish Affairs. 44: 31–53. eISSN 2053-888X.
  • Denver, David; MacAllister, Iain (June 1999). "The Scottish Parliament Elections 1999: an Analysis of the Results". Scottish Affairs. 28: 10–31. eISSN 2053-888X.
  • Johns, Robert; Mitchell, James; Carman, Christopher J. (April 2013). "Constitution or competence? The SNP's re-election in 2011". Policy Studies. 61 (1): 158–178. doi:10.1111/1467-9248.12016.
  • Lynch, Peter (2001). Scottish Government and Politics: An Introduction. Edinburgh University Press. ISBN 0-7486-1287-4.
  • MacMillan, Fraser; Henderson, Aisla (September 2021). "Scotland's Future? The 2021 Holyrood Election". Political Insight. 12 (3): 37–39. doi:10.1177/20419058211045147.
  • McCrone, David (2009). Revolution or Evolution?: The 2007 Scottish Elections. Edinburgh University Press. ISBN 9780748642151.
  • Mitchell, James (August 2023). "From Team Nicola to Team Humza: the SNP Leadership Contest 2023 in Perspective". Scottish Affairs. 32 (3): 263–289. doi:10.3366/scot.2023.0464.

Online news articles edit

Offline news sources edit

  • Andrews, Kieran; Boothman, John (26 April 2024). "Gallows humour as the Greens waited for fate to be sealed". The Times. pp. 6–7.

Websites and other edit


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