Image source, Andrew Milligan/PA Wire

Patrick Harvie, the co-leader of the Scottish Greens, says Yousaf is "right to resign" following the rapid collapse of the relationship between his party and the SNP.

He says the first minister's position was "no longer tenable" and accuses him of breaking "bonds of trust" with the Scottish Greens.

Harvie says the decision to end the deal between the two parties - which saw the Greens prop up the SNP's large minority in Holyrood - undermined the prospect of a "stable, progressive, pro-independence government".

Image source, Trevor Martin/PA Wire

Fergus Ewing says he has "no doubt whatsoever" that the best leader for the SNP and Scotland would be Kate Forbes.

Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland's Lunchtime Live, the veteran SNP MSP says the reason he thinks Forbes is the number one option "because we need a fresh start".

"We don’t want another candidate that frankly is associated with some of the problems that have brought us down in the polls and lost us trust and confidence," he says.

Ewing continues by saying Forbes is the "most popular MSP in Scotland".

He backed her in last year's leadership election, which she narrowly lost to Humza Yousaf.

Image source, PA Media

Ash Regan, who is the Alba party's sole MSP, says she is willing to work with the next leader of the Scottish National Party.

Humza Yousaf turned down a chance to cut a deal with Regan, which could have potentially seen him survive a confidence vote and cling on as first minister.

Regan - who defected from the SNP in 2022 - says "bizarrely some forces in Humza Yousaf's own party would rather see him resign than deal with a party who really want to advance independence".

She continues: "However, a new SNP leader and a new first minister will not change parliamentary arithmetic.

"I continue to stand ready to work in the best interests of Scotland and to advance the cause of Scottish independence."

We've just been hearing from Scottish Conservative Party leader Douglas Ross, who has reacted to the first minister's resignation by saying Humza Yousaf failed "just like he failed as transport secretary, justice secretary and health secretary".

"He's let the people of Scotland down, making Scotland the highest-taxed part of the United Kingdom," he says.

Ross continues by saying that NHS waiting times "spiralled out of control when he was in charge".

"We need to get a focus back on Scotland's economy," he adds.

Yousaf's constituents react to resignationpublished at 13:06 British Summer Time 29 April

13:06 BST 29 April

Catriona Renton
BBC Scotland reporter

It started to pour with rain here in Humza Yousaf’s Glasgow Pollok constituency in the minutes before he resigned as first minister.

I broke the news to several of his constituents.

It came as a surprise to some but no great shock to others who have been following the events of the past few days. It would be fair to say that many of those I spoke to were not particularly engaged with what is happening. Others did not even know he was their MSP.

Colin, who lives locally, told me he was glad that Yousaf had resigned as first minister.

Charlie and Eddie, who are both SNP supporters, said they did not think he had done much for local constituents and had not achieved much as first minister either.

Some said they felt he had focused more on being first minister and had not been visible in the constituency. While others said they thought he had been “fine” as first minister.

Image source, House of Commons

The SNP's former leader in Westminster Ian Blackford says Humza Yousaf has “done the right thing by standing down” and “deserves credit for the leadership he's shown by doing that”.

He says he is “so sad” to see Yousaf resign and paid tribute to his record in government.

However, he says there were growing "strains" in the Bute House agreement - the power-sharing deal with the Scottish Greens- and there had been an “element of misstep” in how the SNP leader ended the deal.

Blackford adds it was “regrettable” that the SNP could not find an agreement with the Scottish Greens, but he thought Yousaf could have survived the two confidence votes.

Looking towards a SNP leadership contest, he says former Deputy First Minister John Swinney has the characteristics to lead the party through to a general election.

“John is the man who has what it takes to lead us, I think,” Blackford says.

"He is certainly an individual that carries widespread respect in the party and the country," he adds.

Image source, Reuters

Humza Yousaf’s resignation comes weeks after his 39th birthday and little more than a year after he became Scotland’s first minister.

His appointment followed his steady rise up the ranks of the SNP since he first became an MSP in 2011.

A year after winning a seat, he was made minister for Europe and international development, a position he held for nearly four years.

He then enjoyed a series of promotions, becoming transport secretary in 2016, justice secretary in 2019, and health secretary in 2021.

When Nicola Sturgeon announced she was standing down as first minister in 2023, Yousaf was seen as the continuity candidate to succeed her.

On taking up the post, he became the first ethnic minority leader of a devolved government and the first Muslim to lead a major UK party.

Humza Yousaf has resigned as Scottish first minister and leader of the SNP. If you're just joining us, or need a recap, here are the key lines from his emotional speech at Bute House:

• Yousaf said he'll stay on as first minister until his successor is elected
• He admitted he had "clearly underestimated" the hurt he'd cause the Greens by ending the SNP's power-sharing deal with them in the way he did
• Yousaf said he'd spent the weekend reflecting on what was best for the SNP, the government and the country - he said he'd concluded that "repairing the relationship across the political divide can only be done with someone else at the helm"
• The SNP leader had been facing two votes of no confidence later this week but he said in his speech it was "absolutely possible" he could have won by cutting a deal
• He told reporters he wasn't willing to trade his principles just to hold on to power

• Yousaf got emotional in the speech's final stages, saying it had been an "honour" to lead his country and that when he was a boy, "people [who] looked like me were not in positions of political influence"

Yousaf's decision follows on from SNP political timebombspublished at 12:47 British Summer Time 29 April

12:47 BST 29 April

Chris Mason
Political editor

In his brief stint as Scotland's first minister, Humza Yousaf assumed power with timebombs ticking everywhere. And loudly.

Firstly, the unavoidable political logic of the Scottish National Party's mammoth stint in power.

They have run the Scottish government since 2007. Ageing is inescapable - and that is no different for political parties.

Then throw into the mix that avenues towards another independence referendum looked like they were petering out, particularly in the short and medium term.

The prospect of indyref2, to use the shorthand, was a glue that helped hold the SNP together. And guess what happens when the glue gets loose.

Then there was the no-small-matter of the former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and her husband, the SNP's former chief executive Peter Murrell, finding themselves of interest to the police.

Next throw in the almightily toxic issue of trans rights.

And then the handling of the collapse in the relationship with the Scottish Greens.

And this is where the crux of this situation comes to a head.

Humza Yousaf concluded over the weekend that there was no deal to be done with the Greens - they would vote to get rid of him.

Read Chris's full analysis here.

Image source, PA

Anas Sarwar, Labour's leader in Scotland, has thanked Yousaf for his public service, and praised his actions during a period when members of the first minister's family were trapped in Gaza.

However, he says the SNP is a divided party and failing Scotland at a time of rising challenges.

Sarwar continues: "They cannot impose another unelected first minister on Scotland in a backroom deal - the people of Scotland should decide who leads our country.

"There must be an election - it's time for change and Scottish Labour is ready to deliver it."

The prime minister's official spokesperson has just given their reaction to reporters about Yousaf's statement.

The No 10 official clarified they hadn't seen the full speech from Bute House but said "clearly the government will work with the new administration" on important areas like the economy and energy.

They continued: "Most people don’t want to be distracted by the ins and outs of politics, they want to see their governments working together on their priorities."

Attention quickly turns to who comes nextpublished at 12:32 British Summer Time 29 April

12:32 BST 29 April

Nick Eardley
reporting from Westminster

Humza Yousaf has been first minister for just over a year. He’s the shortest serving SNP leader since devolution.

But attention will quickly move to what comes next.

Last year, there was a bitter battle for the leadership. It exposed rifts in the SNP which had been largely dormant under Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon.

The question now is whether those splits will rear their head again.

I think some in the SNP regret how personal things became in last year's leadership campaign.

But if more than one candidate puts themselves forward, there will be a debate about the future.

Trans issues, tax, who to work with in parliament. There could be more to come.

Image source, PA Media

As his resignation speech comes to an end, Yousaf says he's "so grateful" and "so blessed" to have had the opportunity that so few get - to lead his country.

He finishes by asking: "Who could ask for a better country to lead than Scotland?"

Yousaf thanks the journalists at Bute House before taking his wife Nadia El-Nakla's hand and leaving the room.

He does not take questions from the gathered press.

Humza Yousaf pays an emotional tribute to his family.

"I am in absolute debt to my wonderful wife, my beautiful children and my wider family for putting up with me over the years," Yousaf says.

He jokes: "I'm afraid you'll be seeing a lot more of me from now,

"You are truly everything to me," Yousaf adds.

Describing the "brutal business" of politics, the first minister says politicians are "often maligned", adding that he "truly believes we that once we get it right, and we often do, we are a force for good".

He adds that politics can take a toll on both "physical and mental health", before "genuinely" wishing his opponents well.

Yousaf reaches out to the opposition parties that the SNP leader will rely on to pass legislation when they take over as first minister.

He calls on other parties to act in "good faith" and not just "oppose for opposition's sake", which he says is vital for having a functioning government under Scotland's political system.

Yousaf says he wishes MSPs from other political parties well, and acknowledges that politics is a "brutal business" which takes a toll on people from all sides of Scotland's divides.

Addressing his SNP "family", Yousaf says: "I will always be with you, campaign alongside you."

He acknowledges that while there have been some setbacks the fight "must continue".

He adds that a referendum on Scottish independence from the UK "feels frustratingly close", adding that the "last few miles of the marathon are always tough", but whoever he hands the baton on to will get the party over the line on a range of issues he hasn't been able to.

Yousaf promises to continue supporting the party from the backbenches.

Yousaf says that during his 12-year political career he was "always guided by my values".

He says he has "no doubt at all that whoever takes over from me" will continue to fight for issues he has prioritised, including fighting to tackle child poverty, prejudice and discrimination.

He warns against the dangers of populism and pledges to be a "voice for those who are not often heard" as he joins the backbenches.

"But far too often in our country hatred continues to rear its ugly head," he adds.

"In a world where every issue seems to descend into a toxic culture war, it is often the most marginalised in our society who bear the brunt."