Humza Yousaf’s time as First Minister of Scotland, is over just a year after he took over from Nicola Sturgeon.

The Scottish Green Party, triggered his demise by signalling its support for a vote of no confidence in his premiership after being brutally dropped from government.

However, my concerns about  the Scottish Government don’t start and end with one man.

I believe this entire Scottish Government has lost the confidence of the Scottish people.

The SNP government’s policy agenda, delivered alongside an equally culpable Scottish Green Party, has been nothing short of a disaster.

Their failure to cost the council tax freeze has left local authorities across the country facing further cuts to essential services after years of austerity. 

The colossal cuts to housing budgets during a homelessness crisis has been utterly shameful, especially given the length of council waiting lists and with tens of thousands of homes currently sitting empty across the country.

Humza Yousaf’s final act as First Minister will be remembered as a negative one for people and planet: the scrapping of the target to reach net zero by 2030.

There’s still no green industrial strategy in place, very few green jobs have been created, and his government have actively sold off public green assets to foreign capital to the tune of billions of pounds.

Meanwhile, NHS waiting lists are now at a record high, court backlogs are extensive, commitments to explore genuinely redistribute wealth taxation have remained untouched, educational standards continue to slide, and islanders are still waiting for the lifeline ferries they were promised well before Yousaf even took post.

The promises made at the last Scottish Parliament elections to deliver a Covid recovery are not being delivered. The truth is the Scottish Government has failed on almost metric, and that’s even if you ignore the  ongoing police inquiry  

It was the case when Nicola Sturgeon was leader. It was the case when Humza Yousaf took over. It will remain the case when John Swinney takes over.

Instead of another coronation by parliament, this era of scandal and decline must end. Scottish Labour stands ready for an election so we can offer legislation and governance that will address the key challenges this country faces.

It’s time for the people to have their say.