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Humza Yousaf live updates: SNP leader resigns as Scotland's first minister - BBC News Humza Yousaf live updates: SNP leader resigns as Scotland's first minister - BBC News
(32 minutes later)
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?" 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”.
Yousaf thanks the journalists at Bute House before taking his wife Nadia El-Nakla's hand and leaving the room. He says he is “so sad” to see Yousaf resign and paid tribute to his record in government.
He does not take questions from the gathered press. 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.
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