SNP chief Humza Yousef 'begs' rivals to save his job as First Minister

• The ‘lame duck’ SNP leader has asked parties to meet and find ‘common ground’ 
• First Minister is seeing fallout from his decision to dump Scottish Greens
• Yousef faces two votes of no-confidence put forward by Tories and Labour

Humza Yousaf has written ­humiliating ‘begging’ letters to opposition leaders in a bid to avoid being ousted as First Minister.

The ‘lame duck’ SNP leader has asked the parties to meet him this week to find ‘common ground’ after the fallout from his decision to dump the Scottish Greens and run a minority administration.

Mr Yousaf faces two votes of no-confidence at Holyrood this week – one against himself put forward by the Tories and one against his government proposed by Labour.

His grovelling letters were sent yesterday to leaders of the ­Conservatives, Labour, the Greens, Lib Dems and Alex Salmond’s Alba Party.

He is desperate to persuade ex-SNP MSP Ash Regan, now the Alba leader at Holyrood, to back him on the no-confidence poll.

Humza Yousaf has written ­humiliating ‘begging’ letters to opposition leaders in a bid to avoid being ousted as First Minister

Yousaf is desperate to persuade ex-SNP MSP Ash Regan , now the Alba leader at Holyrood, to back him on the no-confidence poll

His fate could lie in her hands as Ms Regan – who Mr Yousaf once said was ‘no great loss to the SNP’ – could have the casting vote.

READ MORE: Arrogant. Inadequate. Incapable. He is simply not fit to be First Minister: Saturday Essay by STEPHEN DAISLEY

She has already submitted a list of demands, including over independence and gender, to the First Minister before she decides whether to lend her support.

Allies have confirmed she has received his letter and that there is an ­emergency Alba National Executive Committee meeting today to discuss what her red lines will be.

They say she will likely call on Mr Yousaf to strengthen his ­independence plans, move away from identity politics, accept the findings of the Cass gender ­treatment review and invest ­properly in key public services.

Holyrood arithmetic dictates Mr Yousaf would need at least 64 of the 129 MSPs to back him in order to win the no-confidence vote in him as First Minister. The SNP has 63 MSPs, leaving him one short.

It is possible Mr Yousaf could win over one or two Green MSPs, but it seems highly unlikely.

Other opposition parties appeared to be unmoved by his impassioned plea for support, with the dumped Greens, the Tories, Labour and Lib Dems yet to confirm if they will meet with the SNP leader.

Last night, Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross, who has written back to Mr Yousaf but not said if he will accept his invitation to Bute House, said: ‘This is a humiliating and embarrassing letter, in which Humza Yousaf is begging to be allowed to keep his job.

‘His belated abandonment of the Bute House Agreement with the toxic Greens… does nothing to undo the immense damage it has caused.

‘Our NHS, schools, police and public services have all been profoundly hit by the spectacular mismanagement of the SNP-Green government under his leadership.

‘Humza Yousaf now talks about delivering ‘substantial benefits for people, communities and ­businesses’, and only wants to discuss ‘concerns and… priorities’ now that his job is on the line.’

Calling for Mr Yousaf to resign, Mr Ross added: ‘His future as First Minister rests on a vote that is currently so finely balanced his credibility as a leader will be utterly destroyed, whatever the result.’

Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross said Yousaf’s future as First Minister ‘rests on a vote that is currently so finely balanced his credibility as a leader will be utterly destroyed, whatever the result’

Writing to the leaders, Mr Yousaf said each group ‘must contribute constructively… building consensus for the common good’.

Speaking outside his home in Dundee yesterday, he seemed open to working with Ms Regan.

He said: ‘She has written to me and believes there are areas where we will be able to co-operate on.’

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