Humza Yousaf formed the first Yousaf government on 29 March 2023 following his appointment as First Minister of Scotland at the Court of Session. It followed the resignation of Nicola Sturgeon as First Minister and Leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) on 15 February, triggering a leadership contest that Yousaf won.

The Scottish Green Party voted to remain in government with the SNP, which saw Yousaf's administration continue with the Bute House agreement, a pro-independence majority government. His cabinet consists of seven women and three men, the first majority women cabinet.

Yousaf dissolved the power-sharing agreement with the Greens on 25 April 2024. On 29 April 2024, Humza Yousaf announced that he was resigning, after dissolving the power-sharing agreement with the Greens and after two votes of no confidence were put forward - one by the Scottish Conservatives against him, the other by Scottish Labour against the whole SNP government.

History 2023 On 15 February 2023, Nicola Sturgeon announced her intention to resign the leadership of the SNP and as First Minister. Yousaf declared his candidacy for the 2023 leadership election. He won the internal party contest to become leader on 27 March 2023. On 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. 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. Forbes' campaign manager in the election race and who served as the business minister under Sturgeon, Ivan McKee, also announced he would leave government.

Yousaf was formally sworn into office as first minister on 29 March 2023 and announced the formation of a new government. 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. Neil Gray, who was Yousaf's campaign manager, was appointed the wellbeing economy secretary, with responsibility for energy. Michael Matheson succeeded Yousaf as health secretary, with Shirley-Anne Somerville succeeding Robison as the social justice secretary.

Angus Robertson and Mairi Gourgeon remained in their respective roles as the constitution secretary and rural affairs secretary.

Jenny Gilruth was promoted to cabinet as education secretary, along with Màiri McAllan as the net zero secretary. Angela Constance, who previously served in the cabinets of Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon, returned to cabinet as the justice secretary. She succeeded Keith Brown, the SNP's depute leader, who was removed from government.

Yousaf appointed Jamie Hepburn the minister for independence, something the Scottish Conservatives criticised for being a “taxpayer-funded nationalist campaigner”.

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. Yousaf later confirmed that Johnston Carmichael had resigned around October 2022 but he was unaware of this until after winning the leadership campaign.

SNP President Michael Russell claimed in April 2023 that the SNP was facing its biggest challenge in 50 years. On 11 April 2023, Yousaf stated that Peter Murrell would not be suspended because he is "innocent until proven guilty".

2024 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 posts of Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Active Travel and Tenants' Rights and Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity being abolished.

Cabinet

March 2023 to February 2024 PortfolioPortraitMinisterTermCabinet secretariesFirst Minister Humza Yousaf 2023–2024Deputy First Minister Shona Robison 2023–2024Cabinet Secretary for Finance2023–present Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care Michael Matheson 2023-2024Cabinet Secretary for Education and SkillsJenny Gilruth 2023–presentCabinet Secretary for Transport, Net Zero and Just TransitionMàiri McAllan 2023–2024Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and EnergyNeil Gray 2023–2024Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and IslandsMairi Gougeon 2021–presentCabinet Secretary for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture Angus Robertson 2021–presentCabinet Secretary for Social JusticeShirley-Anne Somerville 2023–presentCabinet Secretary for Justice and Home AffairsAngela Constance 2023–presentAlso attending cabinet meetingsPermanent SecretaryJohn-Paul Marks2022–2025Minister for Cabinet and Parliamentary BusinessGeorge Adam 2021–2024Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain KC2021–present

February 2024 to April 2024 Portfolio Portrait MinisterTermCabinet secretariesFirst Minister Humza Yousaf 2023–2024Deputy First Minister Shona Robison 2023–2024Cabinet Secretary for Finance2023–present Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care Neil Gray 2024-presentCabinet Secretary for Education and SkillsJenny Gilruth 2023–presentCabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Net Zero and EnergyMàiri McAllan 2024-2025Cabinet Secretary for TransportFiona Hyslop 2024-presentCabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and IslandsMairi Gougeon 2021–presentCabinet Secretary for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture Angus Robertson 2021–presentCabinet Secretary for Social JusticeShirley-Anne Somerville 2023–presentCabinet Secretary for Justice and Home AffairsAngela Constance 2023–presentAlso attending cabinet meetingsPermanent SecretaryJohn-Paul Marks2022–2025Minister for Cabinet and Parliamentary BusinessGeorge Adam 2021–2024Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain KC2021–present

List of junior ministers

March 2023 to April 2024 Junior ministers PostMinisterPolitical PartyTermMinister for Drugs and Alcohol PolicyElena Whitham SNP2023–2024Christina McKelvie SNP2024-2025Minister for Independence Jamie Hepburn SNP2023–2024Minister for Cabinet and Parliamentary BusinessGeorge Adam SNP2021–2024Minister for Community Wealth and Public Finance Tom Arthur SNP2021–2024Minister for Local Government Empowerment and PlanningJoe FitzPatrick SNP2023–2024Minister for Public Health and Women's HealthJenni Minto SNP2023–presentMinister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport Maree Todd SNP2023–2025Minister for Children, Young People and Keeping the PromiseNatalie Don SNP2023–presentMinister for Higher and Further Education Minister for VeteransGraeme Dey SNP2023–presentMinister for TransportKevin Stewart SNP2023Fiona Hyslop SNP2023–2024Minister for Small Business, Innovation and TradeRichard Lochhead SNP2023–presentMinister for EnergyGillian Martin SNP2023–2024Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Active Travel and Tenants' RightsPatrick Harvie Scottish Green2021–2024Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and BiodiversityLorna Slater Scottish Green2021–2024Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development Christina McKelvie SNP2023–2024Kaukab Stewart SNP2024Minister for Equalities, Migration and RefugeesEmma Roddick SNP2023–2024Minister for HousingPaul McLennan SNP2023–2025Minister for Victims and Community SafetySiobhian Brown SNP2023–presentMinister for Agriculture and ConnectivityJim Fairlie SNP2024-present

Scottish law officers Law officersPostNamePortraitTermLord Advocate Dorothy Bain KC2021–presentSolicitor General for ScotlandRuth Charteris KC2021–present

Notes

References