Calendar An icon of a desk calendar. Cancel An icon of a circle with a diagonal line across. Caret An icon of a block arrow pointing to the right. Email An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of the Facebook "f" mark. Google An icon of the Google "G" mark. Linked In An icon of the Linked In "in" mark. Logout An icon representing logout. Profile An icon that resembles human head and shoulders. Telephone An icon of a traditional telephone receiver. Tick An icon of a tick mark. Is Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes. Is Not Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes with a diagonal line through it. Pause Icon A two-lined pause icon for stopping interactions. Quote Mark A opening quote mark. Quote Mark A closing quote mark. Arrow An icon of an arrow. Folder An icon of a paper folder. Breaking An icon of an exclamation mark on a circular background. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Caret An icon of a caret arrow. Clock An icon of a clock face. Close An icon of the an X shape. Close Icon An icon used to represent where to interact to collapse or dismiss a component Comment An icon of a speech bubble. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Ellipsis An icon of 3 horizontal dots. Envelope An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Home An icon of a house. Instagram An icon of the Instagram logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. Magnifying Glass An icon of a magnifying glass. Search Icon A magnifying glass icon that is used to represent the function of searching. Menu An icon of 3 horizontal lines. Hamburger Menu Icon An icon used to represent a collapsed menu. Next An icon of an arrow pointing to the right. Notice An explanation mark centred inside a circle. Previous An icon of an arrow pointing to the left. Rating An icon of a star. Tag An icon of a tag. Twitter An icon of the Twitter logo. Video Camera An icon of a video camera shape. Speech Bubble Icon A icon displaying a speech bubble WhatsApp An icon of the WhatsApp logo. Information An icon of an information logo. Plus A mathematical 'plus' symbol. Duration An icon indicating Time. Success Tick An icon of a green tick. Success Tick Timeout An icon of a greyed out success tick. Loading Spinner An icon of a loading spinner. Facebook Messenger An icon of the facebook messenger app logo. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Facebook Messenger An icon of the Twitter app logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. WhatsApp Messenger An icon of the Whatsapp messenger app logo. Email An icon of an mail envelope. Copy link A decentered black square over a white square.

Stephen Flynn hits back as SNP blame game begins

The Aberdeen South MSP, who leads the SNP at Westminster, was put in the frame by some party insiders over the first minister's doomed decision to ditch the Greens.

First Minister Humza Yousaf and SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn. Image: PA
First Minister Humza Yousaf and SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn. Image: PA

The hunt for a figure to blame for the downfall of Humza Yousaf is under way inside the SNP one day after he announced he’s quitting as first minister.

It stems from Mr Yousaf’s shock decision to rip up his party’s power-sharing deal with the Scottish Greens last Thursday – a move which backfired spectacularly, forcing him to resign four days later.

But as the competition for a new leader got under way, some were keen to point the finger at Aberdeen South MP Stephen Flynn, seen by many as the catalyst for the first minister’s decision.

One senior source said: “Stephen Flynn pushed the First Minister to pull out of the Bute House Agreement with no idea of the impact it would have. It didn’t need a master strategist to know how weak this would leave us.

“Humza Yousaf will bitterly regret allowing Stephen Flynn to have the influence he had and members won’t forget his role in this mess.”

Stephen Flynn.

Mr Flynn insists that while he supported the first minister’s decision to end the agreement with the Scottish Greens, his supposed influence is being overestimated.

He said: “This is not true and comes from sources who overstate my influence as much as they overestimate their own abilities.

“Whilst I was supporting the decision of the party leader these anonymous sources were drifting down the Tay – that’s what party members and the public will remember.”

Who backed ending the Bute House deal?

Mr Flynn met Mr Yousaf on Wednesday last week and the Bute House Agreement between the SNP and Greens was discussed.

Several people with knowledge of Mr Yousaf’s decision have said it was later in the evening the first minister decided to kick the greens out of government.

It’s also said this was not a sudden revelation. One source said there had been “serious strains” even before the climate targets were ditched.

Kevin Pringle, the first minister’s powerful communications and strategy chief is understood to have been another voice arguing in favour of ending the deal.

Scottish Green party co-leaders Lorna Slater and Patrick Harvie. Image: PA

His view was no secret before he rejoined government as an adviser. In a opinion column for The Courier prior to his appointment as a special adviser, Mr Pringle argued Mr Yousaf “didn’t need the Greens in government“.

Crucially, the handling of the situation is said to been coordinated by Mr Yousaf and his inner circle of advisors.

One source admitted: “They forgot to take into account how this would feel for the Greens after three years of working together.”

On Wednesday evening, after it was clear the move had backfired and Mr Yousaf would face a confidence vote, insiders say it was Stephen Flynn and Dundee councillor Nadia El-Nakla, the first minister’s wife, who convinced him to reset his leadership by spelling out his priorities the following day.

Humza Yousaf Dundee
Humza Yousaf in Dundee on Thursday. Image: Kim Cessford.

A hastily arranged media opportunity at a Dundee housing development was arranged, where the first minister announced an £80 million investment in affordable housing.

Over the weekend that followed, and despite the first minister insisting he would not resign, soundings were taken among the party’s senior echelons about a potential replacement.

Glenrothes and Mid Fife MSP Jenny Gilruth, the education secretary, was one person floated as potential successor, though the path to her nomination remained far from clear.

It fell flat one day later when she immediately swung support behind Perthshire MSP John Swinney to lead the party – a decision he was still “considering” on Tuesday morning.

Publicly and privately, Highlands MSP Kate Forbes, often touted as a challenger to Mr Yousaf’s position, was supportive of the first minister.

A source said: “There was no one [from the cabinet] out there seriously defending him. Kate’s column in The National was actually one of the most supportive things anyone said all weekend.”

Conversation