Nicola Sturgeon calls Humza Yousaf’s sacking of the Greens a disaster, highlighting the impact on Scottish politics and stability.
Edinburgh: Nicola Sturgeon is not happy with Humza Yousaf. She called his decision to sack the Greens from the Scottish Government “catastrophic.” Sturgeon had brought the Greens into power in 2021 through the Bute House Agreement.
This agreement allowed the Greens to hold two ministerial positions. However, Yousaf, who became First Minister in 2024, ended this agreement due to pressure within the SNP.
He called Green leaders Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater to Bute House and dismissed them publicly. Sturgeon expressed her concerns at the Institute for Government, saying it was a bad move for stable governance.
Yousaf later admitted he regretted how quickly he ended the deal. He wished he had taken more time to discuss it with the Greens. He felt rushed by calls from SNP members who wanted him to act after a disagreement over gender identity services.
Yousaf mentioned that his phone was buzzing with messages urging him to end the agreement. He said some of those calling were key supporters of the Bute House Agreement.
He acknowledged that he should have taken more time to communicate with Harvie and Slater. He believed that more conversation might have eased the situation.
Slater described the end of the agreement as sudden. She noted that just days before, Yousaf had praised the agreement’s value.
She also pointed out that Yousaf faced a vote of no confidence after collapsing the agreement, indicating a miscalculation on his part.
