The Scottish Government remains the Scottish Government.

Time for parties to stick their colours to the mast, even with Humza Yousaf resigning.

Calls to ditch this are just so the way they vote doesn't end up on leaflets.

NEW: Scottish Conservatives leader Douglas Ross MP MSP confirms he has formally withdrawn his motion of no confidence in Humza Youaf, after he announced his resignation.

Mr Ross says it’s a case of 'job done' for his party.

NEW: Nicola Sturgeon’s former right-hand man John Swinney today emerged as hot favourite to take over from Humza Yousaf.

Senior SNP figures moved to back the ex-Deputy First Minister, who quit his Cabinet role last year at the same time as his old boss.

thescottishsun.co.uk/news/12573232/…

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Ash Regan and Humza Yousaf did have a chat on the phone this morning, two government sources have told me

But they say the claim the SNP leader was “trying to do a deal with Alba” is “frankly a fucking lie”

Another said Yousaf 'was not' pursuing a deal. 'We had got beyond that'

Understand one potential frontrunner Neil Gray is telling colleagues he wants John Swinney to stand as leader of the SNP and that's his first choice to replace Humza Yousaf.

John Swinney says he has been 'overwhelmed' by requests made to him to stand for the SNP leadership

He says he is 'giving that issue very active consideration' but that he must do what is 'right thing by my family, my country, and my party.'

Humza Yousaf's statement is a humiliation for a politician whose self-confidence often overtook his political sense

He admits last week's decision to ditch the Scottish Greens caused 'anger and upset' and that it broke trust irretrievably with the party.

A fatal misjudgment

And the starting gun on the race to replace Humza Yousaf has already started

One SNP source tells me Kate Forbes is telling allies she is *not* running

However, another tells me no decision has yet been made.

All this while chat of John Swinney being convinced to take the gig

Humza Yousaf will narrowly - and boy is it tight - avoid being Scotland's shortest serving First Minister

Henry McLeish lasted 392 days before being forced out in 2001

Mr Yousaf will have lasted 398 if he resigns with immediate effect today.

Humza Yousaf quitting today would rob us of a genuinely dramatic day in Holyrood this week

Ah well, I'll take a dramatic day in Bute House

Cracking game of football between Donegal and Tyrone, great drama in the second half.

As much as Alba's finest go on TV, radio, and social media claiming we were always at war with Eastasia, there is no other way to take these quotes from Alex Salmond than as a demand for an electoral pact.

Demonstrates, again, just how weak Alba's bargaining chip is

Humza Yousaf may be in peril, but Salmond overplayed his hand yesterday and is now trying to pretend he didn't.

Scottish Sun's leader on Alba's demands.

'Alba's demands demonstrate a fundamental weakness in their case.

'You do not call for a pact with the biggest pro-independence party from a position of strength.

'[Alba] has failed to even dent the political world at the ballot box.'

NEW: Humza Yousaf rejected demands to sign up to an electoral pact with Alex Salmond's Alba party in order to survive as First Minister.

It was described as a 'fantasy', with 'no possibility' of the FM agreeing such a deal with Mr Salmond

thescottishsun.co.uk/news/12561658/…

It's what happens when politics is reduced to clips for social media and TV.

NEW: Humza Yousaf refuses to say if he will resign if he loses looming no confidence vote.

Speaking exclusively Sky News in Fife, SNP boss says his party could be on an election footing.

🟩”Very disappointing” the Greens could refuse to enter talks
🟦”Up to” Alba which “button