Scotland’s leader resigns after conflicts over climate change and gender identity weakened governmentScotland's First Minister Humza Yousaf pauses as he speaks during a media conference at Bute House, his official residence in Edinburgh, Monday April 29, 2024. Yousaf has resigned rather than face a no-confidence vote.
With no prospect of victory in two confidence votes later this week, Yousaf quit rather than face defeat. The debacle in Scotland adds to the fevered political climate in the broader United Kingdom, where concerns about immigration, health care and government spending have undermined support for the governing Conservative Party.
Alba’s central role in the crisis is symbolic of the disarray confronting Scotland’s independence movement a decade after voters rejected the SNP’s plan to sever ties with the U.K. Sturgeon was questioned and released without charge last June. Her husband, former SNP treasurer Peter Murrell, was charged with embezzlement earlier this month. Both deny any wrongdoing in the case.