Humza Yousaf is asked whether the Scottish Greens' position on child gender services in Scotland was a factor in his decision to end the Bute House Agreement.

Green co-leader Patrick Harvie had said he could not accept the Cass Review of gender services as a valid scientific document.

He says: "I made it very clear my position and the government's position was on the Cass review, but it is fair to say that of course those comments that were made by Patrick Harvie on the Sunday Show did upset a lot in my group.

"We co-operated well with the Greens for almost three years on a number of issues but it was clearly becoming strained – the Bute House Agreement."

The first minister says it was clear to him that the SNP's power-sharing deal with the Scottish Greens was "coming to an end anyway" after the Green Party's decision to put a vote on its future to their members.

Humza Yousaf tells the BBC's Scotland Editor James Cook: "In my mind, whether it was a matter of days or weeks, the Bute House agreement was coming to an end.

"That’s why I say that ending the Bute House agreement was the right thing to do for the party and the country.

"But I accept fully the manner in which it was done clearly caused upset and therefore I’ve paid the price of that."

Yousaf adds that he doesn't regret ending the deal, but "I just regret the manner in which I ended it".

Scotland’s first minister says ending his power sharing agreement with the Scottish Greens was the right thing to do, but the way he did it meant he paid the price with his job.

In his first interview since announcing his resignation on Monday, Humza Yousaf tells the BBC’s Scotland Editor James Cook “that’s on me”.

He said he had believed the Bute house agreement was going to come to an end anyway in a matter of days or weeks but that he accepted the manner in which he acted to end it clearly caused upset “and I paid the price for that”.

He said he would not endorse either of the potential SNP leadership candidates John Swinney or Kate Forbes.

The BBC's Scotland Editor James Cook will interview First Minister Humza Yousaf in his first interview since announcing his resignation on Monday.

Image source, PA Media

Kate Forbes has told the BBC Scotland editor James Cook that she is "weighing up" whether to run for the SNP leadership.

She says that has had a lot of messages of support but that her "priority is to identify what is right for the country, the party and her family."

She said it was important to listen to party members and the public.

Forbes says: "Think about the last few years - cost of living crisis, recovery from covid, challenges across our public sector because of limited financing from the UK government - that requires a party to be nimble."

She says that there is a need for the next leader to have a "big, broad vision" to inspire the whole country.

An ally of Kate Forbes has also told the BBC that she and her team are lining up a campaign in case she decides to stand.

Her supporters say not to expect an announcement today as it has only been 48 hours since Humza Yousaf announced his resignation.

'Forbes and Swinney don't have long to make their mind up'published at 10:51 British Summer Time 1 May

10:51 BST 1 May

Nick Eardley
Political correspondent

Humza Yousaf’s fall was quicker than many expected.

This time last week, we didn’t even know he was about the pull the plug on the deal with the Greens. We certainly didn’t know he’d have quit within days.

So his potential successors have a lot of catching up to do.

Kate Forbes is currently talking to her supporters about policy and resources needed for a leadership bid, according to a source. Some are strongly urging her not to allow a coronation and to put herself forward.

John Swinney will likely be having similar discussions. We know he has the support of many of the SNP’s hierarchy and he has dropped some heavy hints in recent days he will stand. But he hasn’t confirmed it yet.

The pair don’t have long to make their minds up. All nominations must be in by the end of Monday (6 May).

Image source, Getty Images

Dr Emily Gray, managing director of Ipsos Scotland, told BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme "a clear majority of the public - eight in 10 - say that Yousaf took the right decision to resign".

This comes following a poll of 1,100 Scots, taken between 13:00 on Monday and 09:30 on Tuesday.

Dr Gray said: "I would say that public opinion is quite critical of Yousaf’s legacy as first minister so around half of the public say that he’s made no difference to Scotland during his time in office and over a third say he’s changed Scotland for the worse.

"When it comes to that decision precipitating the last couple of days – ending that agreement with the Greens – the public are split on whether that was the right decision.

"But when you look at SNP voters views…they are more likely than the public overall to say Yousaf took the wrong decision to end that agreement."

The resignation of Humza Yousaf has sparked wider debate about the future of the independence movement in Scotland, with the broadcaster Andrew Neil writing in the Daily Mail that the Union is "secure for a generation".

Alex Massie, a journalist and columnist with the Times, does not fully agree with this view, but told BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme that “there is no doubt independence is off the agenda for the short to medium term.”

However he added that the SNP could rebound as times goes on, saying that although this is an “ebb tide" for the party, "that’s not to say it can’t have a high tide again”.

Mr Massie feels that with Labour favourites to win a UK general election later this year, Sir Keir Starmer would refuse any future referendum, and that whoever takes the SNP leadership should use a "degree of truth telling" to reset Scottish politics and be honest with supporters about the likelihood of another referendum.

In short, the relationship with the Scottish Greens and the termination "with immediate effect" of the Bute House agreement.

In mid-April, the Scottish government announced they were ditching their flagship target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 75% by 2030.

Following the move, the Scottish Greens announced that their members would vote on whether to remain in power with the SNP.

On 20 April, before a pro-independence march in Glasgow, Humza Yousaf said he valued the Bute House agreement and did not expect it to be scrapped.

Days later on 25 April, the co-leaders of the Scottish Greens, Lorna Slater and Patrick Harvie, were called to the first minister's official residence and told the agreement would terminate "with immediate effect". This left the first minister leading a minority government.

During a heated first minister's questions later that day, Yousaf was labelled as a "lame duck first minister" and a vote of no confidence in him was moved by Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross.

Following this, Yousaf said he would not resign as first minister and would "absolutely" lead the SNP into the upcoming general election and 2026 Holyrood election.

On Monday, after a weekend of reflection, the first minister announced he would stand down as party leader as he "clearly underestimated" the hurt caused by ending the power-sharing agreement with the Scottish Greens.

The broadcaster and columnist Lesley Riddoch spoke to the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme earlier.

Ms Riddoch said that it would be "a good thing to have a contest not a coronation" for the SNP leadership.

She said it would show whether Kate Forbes "can be a unifier" for the party, referring to how Ms Forbes was aggressive in criticising the other leadership candidates during the 2023 debates.

Ms Riddoch also says a contest would indicate whether John Swinney has enough of a "spring in his step" to lead the party.

The writer added that the belief that a future UK Labour government would not allow another referendum is an "extraordinary situation" and showed that "democracy has collapsed in this country".

She feels that the wider independence movement will "find a way to regroup" but that the Scottish Greens may suffer at the polls and lose second preference votes.

'Lots of plays are going on'published at 10:21 British Summer Time 1 May

10:21 BST 1 May

Andrew Kerr
Scottish political correspondent live at Holyrood

Speculation continues at Holyrood over who might stand for the SNP leadership - and be Scotland's next first minister.

It's been two days since Humza Yousaf announced he was quitting after the Greens turned on him for collapsing their power-sharing deal.

In the main, two names are being talked about.

Allies of the former leadership contender Kate Forbes says she continues to make progress with her planning - with policy positions and resources getting into place.

Another ally said a "lot of plays are going on".

A source close to the former deputy first minister John Swinney insists he has no plans to make an announcement today while another ally agreed the situation was fluid and he couldn't add more just now.

Image source, PA Media

Following a busy week in Scottish politics, pollsters Ipsos Scotland spoke to over 1,100 Scottish voters, external about their thoughts after Humza Yousaf's resignation.

Speaking to BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme, managing director of Ipsos Scotland, Dr Emily Gray, said polling began about 13:00 on Monday and ended at 09:30 on Tuesday.

She said: “When we look at the views of people who voted for the SNP back at the 2021 Holyrood elections, John Swinney is ahead among that group. So John Swinney does look better placed to unite the party whereas the SNP voters are more divided on Kate Forbes.

“What's really interesting from the poll, when you look at both candidates appeal to the wider electorate in Scotland, there Kate Forbes has a six point lead over John Swinney. So she is a little more popular among the wider public when it comes to who might be the best first minister for Scotland."

Image source, Getty Images

The Scottish government is set to face a vote of no confidence at Holyrood, despite Humza Yousaf saying he will stand down as first minister.

The Labour motion was tabled after the frst minister scrapped the Bute House power-sharing agreement with the Greens last week.

The move piled pressure on Yousaf who eventually announced his decision to resign on Monday.

The vote is unlikely to pass without the support of the Greens, who called for it to be withdrawn after the first minister confirmed he would be stepping down.

Yousaf is expected to speak in defence of his government's record during the debate.

We'll bring you all the proceedings from Holyrood live from 14:50.

Kate Forbes has said she is considering a bid to succeed Humza Yousaf as SNP leader.

The former finance secretary told BBC Scotland News she had a "groundswell of support amongst the members".

She said she was “considering all the options” and had not “ruled anything out”.

Nominations for the SNP leadership opened on Monday evening and close on Monday 6 May.

Read more here.

A source close to John Swinney has told BBC News he has no plans to make an announcement today.

Swinney, who was previously the SNP leader 20 years ago, had previously said he was giving a "great deal of thought" to standing again.

He is the front-runner to become the new first minister after the resignation of Humza Yousaf.

The process inviting candidates to stand is under way and the next SNP leader would then need to seek parliamentary approval to succeed Yousaf as first minister.

Swinney said he would be doing a disservice to the "many, many people" asking him to stand if he did not think about the prospect of putting his name forward properly.

Read more here.

Here's a reminder of the main lines we know so far

• The race to replace Humza Yousaf as leader of the SNP and ultimately Scotland's next first minister is under way, despite neither of the main candidates having declared they will run. That remains the position this morning
• A Labour motion of no confidence in the Scottish government will be debated at Holyrood this afternoon from 2.50pm
• The Scottish Greens have accused Labourof "game playing" over the no confidence motion

Image source, PA

• Former deputy first minister John Swinney said he was giving a "great deal of thought" whether to run for SNP leader
• SNP MP Kirsty Blackman said: “Fewer people dislike John Swinney than dislike Kate Forbes”
• Meanwhile former finance secretary Kate Forbes insists she has a "groundswell of support amongst the party" as she told BBC Scotland News that she was still weighing up whether to run to be the next SNP leader

• Yesterday Scottish Conservatives leader Douglas Ross said his party would no longer press ahead with its no confidence vote in Yousaf, as they had already achieved their goal of removing him from office

The race to replace Humza Yousaf as the leader of the SNP continues, with no candidates having yet announced they are standing.

Former deputy first minister John Swinney and former finance secretary Kate Forbes have both been touted as potential candidates but have not yet confirmed they will stand.

Meanwhile, Humza Yousaf is expected to give his first interview since announcing his intention to stand down.

And later in the day, there will be a vote of no confidence in the Scottish government brought by Scottish Labour.

The vote is unlikely to pass without the support of the Greens, who called for it to be withdrawn after the first minister confirmed he would be stepping down.

The debate from the Scottish Parliament chamber can be watched from 2.50pm today