SNP shock as Humza Yousaf to step down at subsequent election | Politics | News | EUROtoday

Former First Minister Humza Yousaf will stand down as an MSP on the 2026 Holyrood election.

The ex-SNP chief has been a backbencher since resigning as first minister in April.

Taking to X, previously Twitter, he mentioned: “Come 2026, I will have served 15 years as an MSP.

“The time will likely be proper for me to maneuver on.”

In a letter to his successor, John Swinney, Mr Yousaf said the next election would be the “proper time” to move on from parliament.

He wrote: “I battle to search out the phrases to appropriately convey what an honour it’s to take a seat in our nation’s parliament because the elected consultant for Glasgow Pollok.”

Mr Yousaf added: “The subsequent Scottish Parliament elections in 2026 would be the proper time for me to maneuver on, to offer a chance for the following era of MSPs to step ahead, and to discover the place I can finest make a contribution sooner or later, in serving to to sort out a number of the most urgent challenges our world faces.”

Mr Yousaf insisted his choices to finish the SNP’s powersharing take care of the Scottish Greens, a transfer which led to him resigning as first minister, was the proper choice.

In an interview this morning, he mentioned: “My successor is no longer encumbered with that deal, (he) can make decisions in policy that he wants to take forward in our country’s interest without having to negotiate and compromise with the Greens.

“They can do that on an issue by issue basis, which I think is the best way to do it.”

Mr Yousaf additionally mentioned his on-line feud with Elon Musk the place he accused the US billionaire of amplifying “disinformation”.

Warning of Mr Musk’s political affect, Mr Yousaf mentioned: “He (Musk) is apparently sitting in the interviews for chief of staff, for secretaries of state and living in Mar-a-Lago.

“And if he is trying to emulate that influence in the next UK general election, that should – as I say – ring alarm bells right up and down the country.”