Humza Yousaf formed the first Yousaf government on 29 March 2023 following his appointment as first minister of Scotland at the Court of Session. It followed the resignation of Nicola Sturgeon as first minister and leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) on 15 February, triggering a leadership contest that Yousaf won.[1]
First Yousaf government | |
|---|---|
 10th Government of Scotland | |
| 2023 – 2024 | |
 Yousaf's reshuffled cabinet inside Bute House, 2024 | |
| Date formed | 29 March 2023 |
| Date dissolved | 25 April 2024 |
| People and organisations | |
| Monarch | Charles III |
| First Minister | Humza Yousaf |
| Deputy First Minister | Shona Robison |
| Member parties | |
| Status in legislature | Majority (coalition) cooperation and confidence and supply agreement between the SNP and the Greens 70 / 129 (54%)
|
| Opposition cabinet | Opposition Parties |
| Opposition party | |
| Opposition leader | Douglas Ross |
| History | |
| Legislature term | 6th Scottish Parliament |
| Predecessor | Third Sturgeon government |
| Successor | Second Yousaf government |
The Scottish Green Party voted to remain in government with the SNP, which saw Yousaf's administration continue with the Bute House agreement, a pro-independence majority government. His cabinet consists of seven women and three men, the first majority women cabinet.
Yousaf dissolved the power-sharing agreement with the Greens on 25 April 2024, and moved to form a new SNP minority government, the Second Yousaf government.[2]
On Monday 29 April 2024, Humza Yousaf announced that he was resigning after dissolving the power-sharing agreement with the Greens and two votes of no confidence were put forward - one by the Scottish Conservatives against him, the other by Scottish Labour against the whole SNP government.
History
edit2023
editOn 15 February 2023, Nicola Sturgeon announced her intention to resign the leadership of the SNP and as First Minister.[3] Yousaf declared his candidacy for the 2023 leadership election. He won the internal party contest to become leader on 27 March 2023.
On 28 March, Yousaf was nominated by the Scottish Parliament to become the next first minister and on the same day he announced Shona Robison as his deputy first minister.[4] Yousaf offered Kate Forbes, who he had beaten in the leadership race, a demotion as rural affairs secretary, but she turned down this offer and left government.[5][6] Forbes' campaign manager in the election race and who served as the business minister under Sturgeon, Ivan McKee, also announced he would leave government.[7]
Yousaf was formally sworn into office as first minister on 29 March 2023 and announced the formation of a new government.[8] There was speculation Robison, who he announced the previous day as his deputy, was to take over the finance portfolio from Forbes, which was later confirmed as true.[9][10] Neil Gray, who was Yousaf's campaign manager, was appointed the wellbeing economy secretary, with responsibility for energy.[11] Michael Matheson succeeded Yousaf as health secretary, with Shirley-Anne Somerville succeeding Robison as the social justice secretary.[12]
Angus Robertson and Mairi Gourgeon remained in their respective roles as the constitution secretary and rural affairs secretary.[13][14]
Jenny Gilruth was promoted to cabinet as education secretary, along with Màiri McAllan as the net zero secretary.[15] Angela Constance, who previously served in the cabinets of Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon, returned to cabinet as the justice secretary.[16] She succeeded Keith Brown, the SNP's depute leader, who was removed from government.[17]
Yousaf appointed Jamie Hepburn the minister for independence, something the Scottish Conservatives criticised for being a “taxpayer-funded nationalist campaigner”.[18][19][20]
In early April 2023, in response to Operation Branchform and the arrest of former SNP CEO Peter Murrell, Johnston Carmichael, the auditor for the SNP, publicly announced they had resigned.[21] Yousaf later confirmed that Johnston Carmichael had resigned around October 2022 but he was unaware of this until after winning the leadership campaign.[22]
SNP President Michael Russell claimed in April 2023 that the SNP was facing its biggest challenge in 50 years.[23] On 11 April 2023, Yousaf stated that Peter Murrell would not be suspended because he is "innocent until proven guilty".[24]
2024
editOn 25 April 2024 Scottish National Party First Minister Humza Yousaf unilaterally announced that the power sharing agreement with the Scottish Green Party - which had been in place since 31 August 2021 - was dissolved with immediate effect, moving to form an SNP minority government.
This resulted in the Green Party's two Ministers Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater leaving government and their respective posts of Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Active Travel and Tenants' Rights and Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity being abolished.[25][2]
Cabinet
editMarch 2023 to February 2024
edit.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
February 2024 to April 2024
edit.jpg)
List of junior ministers
editMarch 2023 to April 2024
editScottish law officers
edit|
Law officers[28] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Post | Name | Portrait | Term |
| Lord Advocate | The Rt Hon. Dorothy Bain KC | 
|
2021–present |
| Solicitor General for Scotland | Ruth Charteris KC | 
|
2021–present |
Notes
edit- ^ a b The Co-leaders of the Scottish Greens also attend cabinet twice a year as part of the Bute House Agreement
References
edit- ^ Bland, Archie (28 March 2023). "Tuesday briefing: What Humza Yousaf's win means for Scotland, the SNP and independence". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
- ^ a b "SNP's power-sharing deal with the Scottish Greens collapses". BBC. 25 April 2024. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
- ^ "Can Humza Yousaf unite the SNP?". BBC News. 27 March 2023. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
- ^ "Shona Robison to be Scottish deputy first minister". BBC News. 28 March 2023. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
- ^ Andrews, Kieran. "Kate Forbes quits SNP cabinet after rejecting demotion by Humza Yousaf". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
- ^ "Kate Forbes leaves Scottish government after rejecting demotion from new first minister Humza Yousaf". Sky News. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
- ^ "Business minister Ivan McKee quits Scottish Government after 'smaller' job offer". The National. 29 March 2023. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
- ^ "Humza Yousaf confirmed as Scotland's new first minister". BBC News. 28 March 2023. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
- ^ Hutcheon, Paul (28 March 2023). "Shona Robison appointed Deputy First Minister by Humza Yousaf". Daily Record. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
- ^ "Shona Robison replaces Kate Forbes as finance secretary in new cabinet". BBC News. 29 March 2023. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
- ^ Tonner, Judith (30 March 2023). "Two Lanarkshire MSPs appointed to cabinet roles in new Scottish Government". Daily Record. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
- ^ "Yousaf appoints 'ambitious' cabinet". BBC News. 29 March 2023. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
- ^ Boothman, Kieran Andrews, John. "Who is in Humza Yousaf's new cabinet? His top team revealed". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Mairi Gougeon to remain as Scotland's rural minister after reshuffle". www.farminguk.com. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
- ^ Meighan, Craig (29 March 2023). "Humza Yousaf unveils cabinet after being sworn in as First Minister". STV News. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
- ^ "Angela Constance becomes new justice secretary". Scottish Legal News. 30 March 2023. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
- ^ Hutcheon, Paul (29 March 2023). "Keith Brown sacked as Justice Secretary by new First Minister Humza Yousaf". Daily Record. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
- ^ Bussey, Katrine. "Yousaf's independence minister is a taxpayer-funded campaigner, say Tories". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
- ^ "Humza Yousaf refuses to apologise for appointing minister for independence at FMQs". The National. 30 March 2023. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
- ^ McCall, Chris (30 March 2023). "Humza Yousaf defends appointing dedicated minister for Scottish independence". Daily Record. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
- ^ Carrell, Severin (7 April 2023). "SNP auditor's resignation adds to party's crisis amid finances investigation". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
- ^ Meighan, Craig (11 April 2023). "SNP auditors quit six months ago and Humza Yousaf had no idea". STV News. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
- ^ "SNP facing biggest and most challenging crisis in 50 years, says president". HeraldScotland. 8 April 2023. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
- ^ "Ex-SNP chief will not be suspended from party - FM". BBC News. 11 April 2023. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
- ^ "SNP's power-sharing deal with the Scottish Greens collapses". BBC. 25 April 2024. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
- ^ "Cabinet and Ministers". www.gov.scot. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
- ^ "Cabinet and Ministers". www.gov.scot. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
- ^ "Law Officer appointments - gov.scot". www.gov.scot. Retrieved 19 June 2021.