Yousaf to speak as he battles for political future

Scotland's first minister is preparing to speak at an event in Dundee as he fights for his political future ahead of a no-confidence vote.

Humza Yousaf is expected to set out the action he can take as leader of a minority government after ditching the SNP's partnership with the Greens.

The BBC understands he will not be announcing his resignation.

Mr Yousaf had earlier pulled out of making a planned speech on independence at the University of Strathclyde.

The Conservatives have said they will hold a vote of no confidence in the first minister next week that he is not guaranteed to win.

Labour announced on Friday morning that they intend to hold a vote of no confidence in the Scottish government as a whole, which could lead to an election if it succeeds.

Both votes could be held next week.

The SNP's Westminster leader Stephen Flynn had earlier said that the first minister would "come out fighting" amid the speculation over his future.

Mr Yousaf is battling to save his position as first minister after his former allies in the Scottish Greens vowed to oppose him in the Conservative no confidence vote, as have Labour and the Liberal Democrats.

It means he could need the support of Ash Regan, a former SNP MSP who was defeated by Mr Yousaf in last year's party leadership contest before later defecting to Alex Salmond's Alba Party.

Ms Regan – a vocal critic of the Scottish government's policies on trans rights and its partnership with the Greens – said she wanted to see progress on Scottish independence, competent government and defending "the rights of women and children" in return for her backing.

In a letter to the first minister that she also posted on social media, Ms Regan said: "My door is open to discussing the progress of my proposed Scottish Parliament Powers Referendum Bill."

Ms Regan's bill would seek a referendum to ask the Scottish public if Holyrood should have the powers to negotiate and legislate for Scottish independence.

The BBC understands it is unlikely Mr Yousaf would find it possible to agree to such an arrangement.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said it was now a matter of when, not if, Mr Yousaf will step down as first minister.

He also told LBC it would be "untenable for the SNP to assume it can impose another unelected first minister on Scotland" if Mr Yousaf was to quit.

The Greens have said that they intend to vote to remove Mr Yousaf as first minister.

Scottish Greens co-leader Lorna Slater told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme: "We decided yesterday we would not support the first minister – we would support a vote of no confidence against him.

"But we could have that conversation again and nobody has reached out to us in any way to try and change our minds".

There was widespread unhappiness within the Greens after the government dropped a 2030 climate target, and over the decision by the Scottish NHS to pause the prescription of new puberty blockers young trans people.

The party had been planning to ask its own members if it should continue its partnership with the SNP before Mr Yousaf took the decision to end it himself.

If a majority of the Scottish Parliament's 129 MSPs vote against the first minister in the Conservative confidence vote he would be expected to resign – although he is not obliged to do so.

In practice, it would be hard to continue in the role without the backing of parliament.

If he was to resign, MSPs would have 28 days to elect a replacement. An election would be called if they were not able to do so.

Mr Flynn, the SNP's leader at Westminster, told Good Morning Scotland that he expects Mr Yousaf to win the confidence vote and continue as party leader and first minister.

He said he had spoken to Mr Yousaf on Thursday evening and that the first minister had been "reflective, but he was also very clear to me that he's going to come out fighting because he believes in what he says.

"He believes in delivering for the people for Scotland. He believes in creating jobs and opportunities for the next generation."

Asked if Mr Yousaf would be speaking to the Greens ahead of next week's confidence vote, Mr Flynn said: "I would anticipate so, just as I would anticipate there would be conversations with others as well."

Mr Yousaf has accused the Conservatives of game-playing, insisting the powersharing deal with the Greens had "served its purpose" and lasted 19 times longer than Liz Truss's premiership