first Yousaf government

On 15 February 2023, Nicola Sturgeon announced her intention to resign the leadership of the SNP and as First Minister.{{Cite news |date=2023-03-27 |title=Can Humza Yousaf unite the SNP? |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-65095168 |access-date=2023-03-28}} Yousaf declared his candidacy for the 2023 leadership election. He won the internal party contest to become leader on 27 March 2023. File:Cabinet_meeting.jpgOn 28 March, Yousaf was nominated by the Scottish Parliament to become the next first minister and on the same day he announced Shona Robison as his deputy first minister.{{Cite news |date=2023-03-28 |title=Shona Robison to be Scottish deputy first minister |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-65104651 |access-date=2023-03-29}} Yousaf offered Kate Forbes, who he had beaten in the leadership race, a demotion as rural affairs secretary, but she turned down this offer and left government.{{Cite news |last=Andrews |first=Kieran |title=Kate Forbes quits SNP cabinet after rejecting demotion by Humza Yousaf |newspaper=The Times |language=en |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/scotland/article/kate-forbes-quits-scottish-government-after-rejecting-demotion-from-humza-yousaf-lcf6mdgj6 |access-date=2023-03-29 |issn=0140-0460}}{{Cite web |title=Kate Forbes leaves Scottish government after rejecting demotion from new first minister Humza Yousaf |url=https://news.sky.com/story/kate-forbes-rejects-demotion-offered-by-scotlands-new-first-minister-humza-yousaf-12844341 |access-date=2023-03-29 |website=Sky News |language=en}} Forbes' campaign manager in the election race and who served as the business minister under Sturgeon, Ivan McKee, also announced he would leave government.{{Cite web |title=Business minister Ivan McKee quits Scottish Government after 'smaller' job offer |url=https://www.thenational.scot/news/23419622.ivan-mckee-leaves-scottish-government-offered-smaller-job/ |access-date=2023-03-29 |website=The National |date=29 March 2023 |language=en}}

Yousaf was formally sworn into office as first minister on 29 March 2023 and announced the formation of a new government.{{Cite news |date=2023-03-28 |title=Humza Yousaf confirmed as Scotland's new first minister |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-65098609 |access-date=2023-03-30}} There was speculation Robison, who he announced the previous day as his deputy, was to take over the finance portfolio from Forbes, which was later confirmed as true.{{Cite web |last=Hutcheon |first=Paul |date=2023-03-28 |title=Shona Robison appointed Deputy First Minister by Humza Yousaf |url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/shona-robison-appointed-deputy-first-29570499 |access-date=2023-03-30 |website=Daily Record |language=en}}{{Cite news |date=2023-03-29 |title=Shona Robison replaces Kate Forbes as finance secretary in new cabinet |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-65112195 |access-date=2023-03-30}} Neil Gray, who was Yousaf's campaign manager, was appointed the wellbeing economy secretary, with responsibility for energy.{{Cite web |last=Tonner |first=Judith |date=2023-03-30 |title=Two Lanarkshire MSPs appointed to cabinet roles in new Scottish Government |url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/in-your-area/lanarkshire/two-lanarkshire-msps-appointed-cabinet-29582724 |access-date=2023-03-30 |website=Daily Record |language=en}} Michael Matheson succeeded Yousaf as health secretary, with Shirley-Anne Somerville succeeding Robison as the social justice secretary.{{Cite web |title=Yousaf appoints 'ambitious' cabinet |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-scotland-65098644 |access-date=2023-03-30 |website=BBC News |date=29 March 2023 |language=en-gb}}

Angus Robertson and Mairi Gourgeon remained in their respective roles as the constitution secretary and rural affairs secretary.{{Cite news |first1=Kieran |last1=Andrews |first2=John |last2=Boothman |title=Who is in Humza Yousaf's new cabinet? His top team revealed |newspaper=The Times |language=en |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/scotland/article/humza-yousaf-new-cabinet-ministers-reshuffle-predictions-r89md5hx2 |access-date=2023-03-30 |issn=0140-0460}}{{Cite web |title=Mairi Gougeon to remain as Scotland's rural minister after reshuffle |url=https://www.farminguk.com/news/mairi-gougeon-to-remain-as-scotland-s-rural-minister-after-reshuffle_62343.html |access-date=2023-03-30 |website=www.farminguk.com |language=en-gb}}

Jenny Gilruth was promoted to cabinet as education secretary, along with Màiri McAllan as the net zero secretary.{{Cite web |last=Meighan |first=Craig |date=2023-03-29 |title=Humza Yousaf unveils cabinet after being sworn in as First Minister |url=https://news.stv.tv/scotland/humza-yousaf-unveils-scottish-government-cabinet-roles-after-being-sworn-in-as-first-minister |access-date=2023-03-30 |website=STV News |language=en-GB}} Angela Constance, who previously served in the cabinets of Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon, returned to cabinet as the justice secretary.{{Cite web |title=Angela Constance becomes new justice secretary |url=https://www.scottishlegal.com/articles/angela-constance-becomes-new-justice-secretary |access-date=2023-03-30 |website=Scottish Legal News |date=30 March 2023 |language=en}} She succeeded Keith Brown, the SNP's depute leader, who was removed from government.{{Cite web |last=Hutcheon |first=Paul |date=2023-03-29 |title=Keith Brown sacked as Justice Secretary by new First Minister Humza Yousaf |url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/keith-brown-sacked-justice-secretary-29581430 |access-date=2023-03-30 |website=Daily Record |language=en}}

Yousaf appointed Jamie Hepburn the minister for independence, something the Scottish Conservatives criticised for being a “taxpayer-funded nationalist campaigner”.{{Cite news |last=Bussey |first=Katrine |title=Yousaf's independence minister is a taxpayer-funded campaigner, say Tories |newspaper=The Times |language=en |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/scotland/article/yousafs-independence-minister-is-a-taypayer-funded-campaigner-say-tories-b073tnh35 |access-date=2023-03-30 |issn=0140-0460}}{{Cite web |title=Humza Yousaf refuses to apologise for appointing minister for independence at FMQs |url=https://www.thenational.scot/news/23423413.fmqs-humza-yousaf-refuses-apologise-minister-independence-role/ |access-date=2023-03-30 |website=The National |date=30 March 2023 |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=McCall |first=Chris |date=2023-03-30 |title=Humza Yousaf defends appointing dedicated minister for Scottish independence |url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/humza-yousaf-defends-appointing-dedicated-29589133 |access-date=2023-03-30 |website=Daily Record |language=en}}

In early April 2023, in response to Operation Branchform and the arrest of former SNP CEO Peter Murrell, Johnston Carmichael, the auditor for the SNP, publicly announced they had resigned.{{Cite news |last=Carrell |first=Severin |date=2023-04-07 |title=SNP auditor's resignation adds to party's crisis amid finances investigation |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/apr/07/snps-auditor-resigns-after-police-raid-on-sturgeon-and-murrells-home |access-date=2023-04-11 |issn=0261-3077}} Yousaf later confirmed that Johnston Carmichael had resigned around October 2022 but he was unaware of this until after winning the leadership campaign.{{Cite web |last=Meighan |first=Craig |date=2023-04-11 |title=SNP auditors quit six months ago and Humza Yousaf had no idea |url=https://news.stv.tv/politics/snp-auditors-quit-six-months-ago-and-first-minister-humza-yousaf-did-not-know-until-becoming-party-leader |access-date=2023-04-11 |website=STV News |language=en-GB}}

SNP President Michael Russell claimed in April 2023 that the SNP was facing its biggest challenge in 50 years.{{Cite web |title=SNP facing biggest and most challenging crisis in 50 years, says president |url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/23443505.snp-facing-biggest-crisis-50-years-says-president-mike-russell/ |access-date=2023-04-11 |website=HeraldScotland |date=8 April 2023 |language=en}} On 11 April 2023, Yousaf stated that Peter Murrell would not be suspended because he is "innocent until proven guilty".{{Cite news |date=2023-04-11 |title=Ex-SNP chief will not be suspended from party - FM |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-65242685 |access-date=2023-04-11}}

On 25 April 2024 Scottish National Party First Minister Humza Yousaf unilaterally announced that the power sharing agreement with the Scottish Green Party - which had been in place since 31 August 2021 - was dissolved with immediate effect, moving to form an SNP minority government.

This resulted in the Green Party's two Ministers Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater leaving government and their respective posts of Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Active Travel and Tenants' Rights and Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity being abolished.{{Cite news |date=2024-04-25 |title=SNP's power-sharing deal with the Scottish Greens collapses |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-68895400 |access-date=2024-04-25 |work=BBC |language=en-GB}}

{| class="wikitable"

! colspan="5" |

|-

! style="width: 350px" |Post

!Minister

! colspan="2" |Political Party

!Term

|-

| rowspan="2" |Minister for Drugs and Alcohol Policy

|Elena Whitham {{small|MSP}}

! style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish National Party}}; width: 1px" |

|SNP

|2023–2024

|-

|Christina McKelvie {{small|MSP}}

! style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish National Party}}; width: 1px" |

|SNP

|2024-2025

|-

|Minister for Independence

|Jamie Hepburn {{small|MSP}}

! style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish National Party}}; width: 1px" |

|SNP

|2023–2024

|-

|Minister for Cabinet and Parliamentary Business

|George Adam {{small|MSP}}

! style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish National Party}}; width: 1px" |

|SNP

|2021–2024

|-

|Minister for Community Wealth and Public Finance

|Tom Arthur {{small|MSP}}

! style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish National Party}}; width: 1px" |

|SNP

|2021–2024

|-

|Minister for Local Government Empowerment and Planning

|Joe FitzPatrick {{small|MSP}}

! style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish National Party}}; width: 1px" |

|SNP

|2023–2024

|-

|Minister for Public Health and Women's Health

|Jenni Minto {{small|MSP}}

! style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish National Party}}; width: 1px" |

|SNP

|2023–present

|-

|Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport

|Maree Todd {{small|MSP}}

! style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish National Party}}; width: 1px" |

|SNP

|2023–2025

|-

|Minister for Children, Young People and Keeping the Promise

|Natalie Don {{small|MSP}}

! style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish National Party}}; width: 1px" |

|SNP

|2023–present

|-

|Minister for Higher and Further Education

Minister for Veterans

|Graeme Dey {{small|MSP}}

! style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish National Party}}; width: 1px" |

|SNP

|2023–present

|-

| rowspan="2" |Minister for Transport

|Kevin Stewart {{small|MSP}}

! style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish National Party}}; width: 1px" |

|SNP

|2023

|-

|Fiona Hyslop {{small|MSP}}

! style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish National Party}}; width: 1px" |

|SNP

|2023–2024

|-

|Minister for Small Business, Innovation and Trade

|Richard Lochhead {{small|MSP}}

! style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish National Party}}; width: 1px" |

|SNP

|2023–present

|-

|Minister for Energy

|Gillian Martin {{small|MSP}}

! style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish National Party}}; width: 1px" |

|SNP

|2023–2024

|-

|Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Active Travel and Tenants' Rights

|Patrick Harvie {{small|MSP}}

! style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish Green Party}}; width: 1px" |

|Scottish Green

|2021–2024

|-

|Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity

|Lorna Slater {{small|MSP}}

! style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish Green Party}}; width: 1px" |

|Scottish Green

|2021–2024

|-

| rowspan="2" |Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development

|Christina McKelvie {{small|MSP}}

! style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish National Party}}; width: 1px" |

|SNP

|2023–2024

|-

|Kaukab Stewart {{small|MSP}}

! style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish National Party}}; width: 1px" |

|SNP

|2024

|-

|Minister for Equalities, Migration and Refugees

|Emma Roddick {{small|MSP}}

! style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish National Party}}; width: 1px" |

|SNP

|2023–2024

|-

|Minister for Housing

|Paul McLennan {{small|MSP}}

! style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish National Party}}; width: 1px" |

|SNP

|2023–2025

|-

|Minister for Victims and Community Safety

|Siobhian Brown {{small|MSP}}

! style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish National Party}}; width: 1px" |

|SNP

|2023–present

|-

|Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity

|Jim Fairlie {{small|MSP}}

! style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish National Party}}; width: 1px" |

|SNP

|2024-present

|}

{{Reflist}}

{{Scottish Governments}}

{{Scottish National Party}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Yousaf, first}}

Category:2023 establishments in Scotland

Category:2024 disestablishments in Scotland

Category:Cabinets established in 2023

Category:Cabinets disestablished in 2024

Category:Scottish governments

Y

Category:Coalition governments of the United Kingdom

Category:Scottish National Party

G