Hamas. The us secretary of state, Antony Blinken, was in saudi arabia today, to discuss gaza and the post war plans. We will get the thoughts of two us diplomats who served in the region. Good evening. Scotlands beleaguered First Minister, humza yousaf, is stepping down from the job after it became clear to him this morning he had run out of road. On wednesday, mr yousaf walked away from a Coalition Agreement with the scottish greens, having only recently ditched their agreed targets on climate change. Soon after, the greens had their revenge, agreeing to side in an Unlikely Alliance with the scottish conservatives and their vote of no confidence. Scottish labour had gone further promising a vote of no confidence in the entire scottish government. And so in an extraordinary twist of fate, it meant the First Minister would have needed the vote of his nemesis and one Time Leadership rival, ash regan, who defected to the alaba Party Last Year a politician he once described as no great loss to his party. Heres our scottish political editorjames cook. Mr yousaf, are you resigning today . A simple answer yes. Not at home in dundee, but here at the official residence of the First Minister in edinburgh, the place which gave its name to the Power Sharing Deal with the greens which humza yousaf dumped so disastrously last week. Unfortunately, in ending the Bute House Agreement in the manner that i did, i clearly underestimated the level of hurt and upset that caused. I have concluded that repairing our relationship across the political divide can only be done by someone else at the helm. I have therefore informed the snps National Secretary of my intention to stand down as party leader and ask that she commences a Leadership Contest for my replacement as soon as possible. As a young boy born and raised in scotland, i could never have dreamt that one day i would have the privilege of leading my country. People who looked like me were not in positions of political influence, let alone leading governments when i was younger. Politics can be a brutal business. It takes its toll on your physical and mental health, yourfamily suffer alongside you. I am in absolute debt to my wonderful wife, my beautiful children, and my widerfamily for putting up with me over the years. Im afraid you will be seeing a lot more of me from now. Humza yousaf, glasgow. Humza yousaf. Mr yousaf will have a place in the History Books as the first muslim, the First Descendant of immigrants, and the first scots asian to lead scotlands devolved government. But his time in office was tough most of all when his in laws were trapped in gaza for a month. But he also lost a westminster by election to labour and endured Policy Problems from hate crime to gender health care, all with his party under the shadow of a police investigation. The drama here today isntjust about who occupies this house, but what they want to do while they are in there. And this whole affair has highlighted divisions in the snp divisions on how to achieve independence, divisions on economic policy, and divisions as well on social issues, not least the most contentious topic of gender. So who will inherit those challenges . Will you be the new snp leader . There is a lot to happen today. Could it bejohn swinney, who led the party two decades ago and had pretty much retired from front line politics . I am giving very careful consideration to standing to be the leader of the snp and i am somewhat overwhelmed by the requests that have been made of me to do that, with many messages from many colleagues across the party. So i am giving that issue very active consideration, and it is likely i will have more to say about that in the days to come. But what about kate forbes, the former finance secretary who ran mr yousaf so close in the Leadership Contest a little over a year ago . She is said to be thinking about running for the job. But the greens, whose support she might need, are not fans of her agenda. It is entirely up to the snp to decide who they want to lead their party, it is for them to decide what kind of party they want to be. Do they want to continue to be a Progressive Party . Do they want to continue to make Income Tax Fair . To work for the climate and nature emergencies . Or do they want to take a different direction . As he found out, governing is hard, but governing without a majority is much harder. James cook, bbc news, edinburgh. With us tonight our regular panellist brian taylor, political commentator and columnist for the herald. And of course where would we be On A Night Like This without the great sirjohn curtice, professor of politics at the University Of Strathclyde . Welcome to you both. Brian, if i can start to do, we should focus on what comes next. How will a new First Minister be elected and how quickly . The snp National Executive will meet this week to set out the Leadership Timetable and the rules. They will have to get on with it because they want first to fill the vacancy that will be created when eventually humza yousaf stands down, he has not strictly done that yet, that happens when he tendered his resignation formally to the king, but also they need to get off this agenda. It has been a Dreadful Yearfor need to get off this agenda. It has been a dreadful year for the need to get off this agenda. It has been a Dreadful Yearfor the party, they have lost the initiative in politics, at holyrood, they have lost the initiative regarding the uk General Election and this is perhaps the most serious of all for the snp, they have lost any sort of initiative as regards to pursuit of independence. There is a splendid scots word which means a noisy confused mess and this is what is happening amongst the snp. Hone confused mess and this is what is happening amongst the snp. How do ou think happening amongst the snp. How do you think he happening amongst the snp. How do you think he will happening amongst the snp. How do you think he will look happening amongst the snp. How do you think he will look back happening amongst the snp. How do you think he will look back at happening amongst the snp. How do you think he will look back at the you think he will look back at the decision that was made last week with the greens . It decision that was made last week with the greens . Decision that was made last week with the greens . It was a blunder and he knows with the greens . It was a blunder and he knows it. With the greens . It was a blunder and he knows it. There with the greens . It was a blunder and he knows it. There was with the greens . It was a blunder and he knows it. There was a with the greens . It was a blunder and he knows it. There was a fair| and he knows it. There was a fair degree of disquiet on the snp benchers about that deal with the greens, but he did not have to do it the way he did it. He could have gone to the greens and said things arent quite working the way it is, i inherited this pack from my predecessor and it wants to reshape it perhaps a lease arrangement, a different approach and the greens might or might not have been open to that but at least it would have given them the opportunity to do so. Instead he called at 8 30am and dumped them and expelled them from the government and you can guess where they are a little upset about that. He then do the arithmetic and to govern he needed friends and that means the greens and they said no chance, we dont trust you any more, you betrayed us, let us down and therefore you are not doing the deal. As you mentioned at the top, that left him with the even more unpalatable prospect of doing a deal with Alex Salmonds alba party and with Alex Salmonds alba party and with ash regan. He could not rebuild confidence with the deal with the greens, he did not want to do a deal with ash regan because that would be a deal with alex salmond and many in the snp would be against that, so he stood down. Indie the snp would be against that, so he stood down the snp would be against that, so he stood down. ~. ,. Stood down. We have seen in england what happens stood down. We have seen in england what happens each stood down. We have seen in england what happens each time stood down. We have seen in england what happens each time the what happens each time the conservatives have changed leader. Indeed, and it is a potentially very difficult indeed, and it is a potentially very difficult position for the party to find itself in. However, what effectively has happened is the opposition in successfully bringing humza opposition in successfully bringing humza yousaf down have taken away from the humza yousaf down have taken away from the snp a leader who is relatively unpopular, becoming increasingly unpopular seemingly, his authority of his party was not that great his authority of his party was not that great because he only narrowly won over that great because he only narrowly won over kate forbes, and was certainly won over kate forbes, and was certainly struggling to unite his party certainly struggling to unite his party. To certainly struggling to unite his party. To that extent at least in a sense party. To that extent at least in a sense now party. To that extent at least in a sense now we start anew, the Question Sense now we start anew, the question is what happens in the wake of the question is what happens in the wake of the snp question is what happens in the wake of the snp Leadership Contest. First. Of the snp Leadership Contest. First. Witi of the snp Leadership Contest. First, will there be a contest . If there first, will there be a contest . If there is, first, will there be a contest . If there is, will it be as divisive as there is, will it be as divisive as the test there is, will it be as divisive as the test one there is, will it be as divisive as the last one or not . Who will emerge from it . The last one or not . Who will emerge from it . At the last one or not . Who will emerge from it . At the moment, there is a certain from it . At the moment, there is a certain amount of momentum forjohn swinney certain amount of momentum forjohn swinney who did the job nearly 20 years swinney who did the job nearly 20 years ago swinney who did the job nearly 20 years ago and it has to be said, not an entirely years ago and it has to be said, not an entirely comfortable experience for him an entirely comfortable experience for him at an entirely comfortable experience for him at that time, but what mr swinney for him at that time, but what mr swinney perhaps is able to do is at least swinney perhaps is able to do is at least four swinney perhaps is able to do is at least four for one of the criteria i think least four for one of the criteria i think the least four for one of the criteria i think the snp are looking for it to someone think the snp are looking for it to someone who cant unite the party. John swinney is widely liked, is in a sense john swinney is widely liked, is in a sense perhaps somebody who can unite a sense perhaps somebody who can unite those a sense perhaps somebody who can unite those who have been deeply criticat unite those who have been deeply critical of unite those who have been deeply critical of humza yousaf and those closer critical of humza yousaf and those closer to critical of humza yousaf and those closer to nicola sturgeon. Looking closer to nicola sturgeon. Looking for closer to nicola sturgeon. Looking for someone who can unite the party looking for someone who can unite the party. Also someone who can project the party. Also someone who can project to the party. Also someone who can project to the wider public and get the Party Project to the wider public and get the party back on the front foot. Mr swinney the party back on the front foot. Mr swinney is the party back on the front foot. Mr swinney is a the party back on the front foot. Mr swinney is a bit like geoffrey boycott. Swinney is a bit like geoffrey boycott, a brilliant defensive backs person boycott, a brilliant defensive backs person but not necessarily a striker person but not necessarily a striker i person but not necessarily a striker. I think the worry has to be is mr striker. I think the worry has to be is mr swinney made steady the ship but whether or not he will do enough to restore but whether or not he will do enough to restore the snp position so they can actually defend a number of the westminster seats that are currently under westminster seats that are currently under threat in this coming autumn, that i under threat in this coming autumn, that i think under threat in this coming autumn, that i think will be the question nrarks that i think will be the Question Marks surrounding him. Crucially imortant marks surrounding him. Crucially important to marks surrounding him. Crucially important to politics marks surrounding him. Crucially important to politics in marks surrounding him. Crucially important to politics in scotland, but what about in westminster . What does that mean for labours chances later this year . That does that mean for labours chances later this year . Later this year . At the labour party seem to have later this year . At the labour party seem to have a later this year . At the labour party seem to have a pretty later this year . At the labour party seem to have a pretty good later this year . At the labour party seem to have a pretty good chance| later this year . At the labour party l seem to have a pretty good chance of getting seem to have a pretty good chance of getting 24 seem to have a pretty good chance of getting 24 seats or so north of the border, getting 24 seats or so north of the border, that would certainly make it easier border, that would certainly make it easier for border, that would certainly make it easier for keir starmer to get an overall easier for keir starmer to get an overall majority, but the honest truth overall majority, but the honest truth is overall majority, but the honest truth is given how far ahead labour are in truth is given how far ahead labour are in the truth is given how far ahead labour are in the polls, they still have a 20 point are in the polls, they still have a 20 point lead, perhaps keir starmer does not 20 point lead, perhaps keir starmer does not need a recovery in scottand~ does not need a recovery in scotland. The labour party has risen in scotland scotland. The labour party has risen in scotland for the same reason as south in scotland for the same reason as south of in scotland for the same reason as south of the border, but in the last 12 months south of the border, but in the last 12 months in the wake of nicola sturgeons resignation, it has profited sturgeons resignation, it has profited from the fact that some people profited from the fact that some people who still support independence, Independence Support is still independence, Independence Support is still nearly around 50 , some of the supporters are no longer willing to vote the supporters are no longer willing to vote for the supporters are no longer willing to vote for the snp and switch to labour to vote for the snp and switch to labour and to vote for the snp and switch to labour and the battle will be crucial labour and the battle will be crucial in labour and the battle will be crucial in the coming weeks. The challenge crucial in the coming weeks. The challenge for the snp leader is to try and challenge for the snp leader is to try and bring them back. Brianna, sirjohn to try and bring them back. Brianna, sirjohn to settled try and bring them back. Brianna, sirjohn to settled a try and bring them back. Brianna, sirjohn to settled a case try and bring them back. Brianna, sirjohn to settled a case for try and bring them back. Brianna, sirjohn to settled a case for the i sirjohn to settled a case for the dash to safety if you well and john swinney certainly a safe pair of hands, there are others in the race, what are you hearing from your sources about who would throw their hat in the ring . Hat in the ring . Most of the ones named are hat in the ring . Most of the ones named are indicating hat in the ring . Most of the ones named are indicating pretty hat in the ring . Most of the ones| named are indicating pretty firmly that they would welcome a leadership byjohn swinney. Mr swinney says he has been hugely touched by the expressed support coming his way. I think he is looking at being the sole contender, kate forbes may think she can run homes that use a pretty close but she will have a tougher job pretty close but she will have a tougherjob againstjohn swinney, tougher job againstjohn swinney, who tougherjob againstjohn swinney, who was tasked with keeping the show on the road and ran a tight ship when it came to the money so well regarded in the party and someone who could deal with the greens which kate forbes probably and demonstrably could not, they dislike what they believe are socially conservative views on gender and same sex Wood Marriage and they would not cut a deal with her. Same sex marriage. Just would not cut a deal with her. Samesex marriage. Would not cut a deal with her. Samesex marriage. Just one thing occurs to me. Samesex marriage. Just one thing occurs to me, just samesex marriage. Just one thing occurs to me, just to samesex marriage. Just one thing occurs to me, just to finish. Occurs to me, just to finish. Clearly, what will govern the decision over the next leader is which direction the party goes on. Over the last year or so, they have been pulled to the liberal wing of theissue been pulled to the liberal wing of the issue on social issues, if they were to go the other way, there was the centre, then obviously kate forbes comes into the reckoning, but surely there has to be a conversation within the party as to w