The SNP’s Westminster leader has called for “cool heads” to prevail as the Scottish parliament prepares for a vote of no confidence in first minister Humza Yousaf.
Speaking to the BBC Radio 4 Today programme, Flynn urged “calm words” and for MSPs (members of the Scottish parliament) to reflect upon the consequences of a decision taken at Holyrood.
It comes as Humza Yousaf’s future hangs in the balance after the Scottish Greens said they would vote against him in a motion of no confidence on Thursday.
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The first minister decided to bring the SNP’s power-sharing deal with the Greens to an end yesterday, sparking a bitter fallout with his former coalition partners.
At first minister’s questions, the Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross announced he would table a vote of no confidence in Yousaf, which Labour, the Liberal Democrats and Scottish Greens are all expected to back next week.
Speaking to the BBC, Flynn said: “What I would urge, gently urge, all politicians in Holyrood to do now that we are of course a minority government is to have some cool heads and some calm words this weekend to reflect upon the consequences of any decision that were to be taken or otherwise in relation to who or who is not the first minister and come to a conclusion which I believe would be much more reasonable.”
Flynn also insisted that the first minister did the “right thing” by scrapping the SNP’s coalition deal with the Greens.
“I firmly believe it was the right thing to do because the first minister wanted to reset the focus of the Scottish government on the priorities of the Scottish people”, he said.
He confirmed that the first minister will “come out fighting” to save his job, adding that he will stand “shoulder to shoulder” with Yousaf as he “seeks to convince others in Holyrood that he is the right person to take our country forward”.
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With the Conservatives, Labour, the Liberal Democrats and Scottish Greens all backing the no confidence measure, a full 64 MSPs are expected to vote to oust the FM — that is one short of a majority in the 129 seat chamber. The SNP currently has 63 MSPs.
The arithmetic means that Ash Regan, an MSP for former first minister Alex Salmond’s Alba Party, is likely to hold the deciding vote.
Regan defected to Alba from the SNP last year, having previously come third in the leadership election that led to Yousaf’s elevation as leader.
Alex Salmond has said the Alba Party will write to Yousaf “setting out our concerns and priorities for the parliament”.
He added that “Humza’s future will depend on his response to that letter”.
“If he wants to remain as first minister, then he better give a response which is convincing not just to Ash Regan, but to the Scottish people.”
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