HUMZA YOUSAF resigned as Scotland’s First Minister today after his attempts to cling to office over the weekend failed.

In an emotional press conference at his official residence at Bute House, Mr Yousaf paid tribute to his family’s support in what he called the “brutal” business of politics.

But he added: “I am so grateful and so blessed for having the opportunity afforded to so few, to lead my country.”

Referring to his achievement of becoming Scotland’s first First Minister from an ethnic minority, he said: “People who looked like me were not in positions of political influence, let alone leading governments when I was younger.”

He went on to declare it evidence that “multiculturalism has worked.”

Mr Yousaf’s 13 months in office have been some of the most tumultuous of the SNP’s 17 years in power.

From the bitterly fought leadership he narrowly won – while widely branded the “continuity candidate” — which exposed schisms in the party over independence strategy; to the arrests of party treasurer Colin Beattie, his predecessor Nicola Sturgeon, and her partner and former party chief Peter Murrell, and increasing unease over the party’s coalition agreement with the Scottish Greens.

Mr Murrell was rearrested on April 18, becoming the only person to be charged in relation to allegations of embezzlement at the SNP, but it would be another announcement that day which sent events spiralling out of Mr Yousaf’s control.

When his net zero secretary Mairi McAllan ditched key Scottish government climate change targets, Scottish Green activists demanded a vote in their party on the future of the coalition.

Green co-leaders Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater got to work defending the coalition and their ministerial positions to members, but the First Minister decided to take matters into his own hands announcing the end of the deal at Thursday’s cabinet before their ballot could take place in what Ms Slater branded an act of “political cowardice” and “breach of trust.”

Facing votes of no confidence in himself and in his government this week, Mr Yousaf sent letters to all parties at Holyrood over the weekend in a bid to win the single extra vote he required to retain authority.

Shunned by Labour, Tories, Liberals and Greens, the only positive response came from the Alba Party’s single MSP.

But a deal with his erstwhile colleague and leadership rival Ash Regan proved a bridge too far for Mr Yousaf, sealing his fate.

Referencing the offer in his speech, he said: “I am not willing to trade in my values or principles or do deals with whomever simply for retaining power.”

Reflecting on the episode that led to his departure, Mr Yousaf added: “Unfortunately, in ending the Bute House Agreement in the manner I did, I clearly underestimated the level of hurt and upset I caused Green colleagues.”

Confirming Mr Yousaf’s sentiment, Scottish Green Party co-leader Patrick Harvie commented: “Humza Yousaf is right to resign.

“His position was no longer tenable after he broke the bonds of trust with the Scottish Greens.

“He chose to end a stable majority government and jeopardised the progressive policy programme that both parties had committed to and were working to deliver.”

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar — whose motion of no confidence in the government remains on this week’s Holyrood agenda — praised the First Minister for the “dignified way in which he acted while his loved ones faced danger in Gaza” and wished him and his family “the best for the future.”

But he added: “For Scottish Labour, this has never been about one person — this is about 17 years of SNP failure.

“The fact is this is a crisis of the SNP’s making and it appears they will yet again put party before country while Scots are being failed every day.

 “Scotland faces the biggest challenges since devolution but it now has a dysfunctional, chaotic and divided SNP government.

“There must be an election.”

STUC general secretary Roz Foyer thanked Mr Yousaf for his“collaborative approach with trade unions” and for “his unwavering support for the people of Palestine.”

 But laying out the challenges facing his successor, she continued: “While the First Minister did take some progressive steps on income tax, his premiership ran into difficulty with the council tax freeze.

“It’s clear that the Scottish Parliament can be a force for good.

“But it must begin to take the bold action needed to redistribute income, wealth and power across our society if it is rebuild the trust of the people of Scotland.”

Mr Yousaf will remain in office until a new SNP leader can be found.

But even before his noon announcement, the names of education secretary Jenny Gilruth, former party leader John Swinney, and the woman he narrowly defeated for the leadership last year — Kate Forbes — were being widely touted as possible contenders by party insiders.