Humza Yousaf to announce first cabinet jobs

© BBC

Humza Yousaf is beginning the job of shaping his new government after being chosen as Scotland’s first minister.

He is expected to announce his first ministerial appointments once he is formally sworn in at a short ceremony at the Court of Session.

Kate Forbes, the finance secretary he narrowly defeated in the leadership contest, is leaving government after turning down a move to rural affairs.

He has already announced that Shona Robison will be deputy first minister.

During the SNP leadership campaign Mr Yousaf said he favoured a “big tent” rather than “inner circle” approach to making key decisions.

But he faced withering criticism of his own ministerial record from Ms Forbes, while her views on issues such as gender recognition reform and gay marriage led the Scottish Greens to question whether they could work with her.

Given the narrow margin of his victory over Ms Forbes, by 52.1% to 47.9%, some of her supporters had urged Mr Yousaf to keep her in government.

© Getty Images Kate Forbes congratulated Mr Yousaf after he was voted first minister

The BBC understands she was offered the job of rural affairs secretary but turned it down and will return to the backbenches.

She later tweeted that Mr Yousaf had her full support and she had “full confidence that he will appoint a talented cabinet and ministerial team”.

The Scottish Conservatives chairman Craig Hoy said she had been offered a demotion and that Mr Yousaf had “poured petrol on the SNP civil war”.

Mr Yousaf has already confirmed that Shona Robison, a close friend of Nicola Sturgeon, will be his deputy first minister.

Ms Robison, who as social justice secretary played a key role in introducing controversial gender recognition legislation, was one of the MSPs who nominated Mr Yousaf for SNP leader.

Another key supporter of his leadership campaign, Neil Gray, is also tipped for an important role in his government.

© Getty Images Humza Yousaf and Shona Robison, after his election at first minister

Humza Yousaf is the first member of an ethnic minority to lead the Scottish government and, at 37, he will be the country’s youngest first minister.

He was nominated as first minister at Holyrood on Tuesday, securing 71 votes from SNP and Green MSPs with whom he plans to continue a power-sharing agreement.

He formally becomes first minster once he has taken the official oath in front of the Lord President of the Court of Session and other senior judges on Wednesday morning.

Mr Yousaf has confirmed that he intends to appoint a “minister for independence”, something he had promised during the hustings.

Rishi Sunak

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called him on Tuesday afternoon to congratulate him on his new role.

Mr Sunak is said to have “reiterated his desire to continue working constructively with the Scottish government” to deliver on what he argued were the “peoples priorities across Scotland, including the need to half inflation, delivering growth, and cut waiting times.”

Mr Yousaf raised the issue of an independence referendum, but Mr Sunak suggested this would “distract” from “delivering on the things that are top of the priority list for people across Scotland”.

The first minister designate tweeted that they had a “constructive discussion” on a range of issues, including helping people through the cost of living crisis.

“I also made clear that I expect the democratic wishes of Scotland’s people and Parliament to be respected by the UK government,” he added.