Hello, im anita mcveigh, welcome to verified live. There have been dramatic Political Developments in edinburgh, where scotlands First Minister, humza yousaf, has announced that hes resigning. Hes been under growing pressure after he ripped up a Power Sharing Deal with the scottish green party. As a result, he was facing two separate votes of no confidence. In an emotional statement earlier today, mr yousaf said he was not willing to trade his values and principles, simply to hold on to power. Lets take a listen to the moment he announced his resignation. I am not willing to trade my values and principles or do deals with whomever simply for retaining power. Therefore, after spending the weekend reflecting on what is best for my party, for the government, and for the country i lead, i have concluded that repairing our relationship across the political divide can only be done with someone else at the helm. I have therefore informed the snps National Secretary of my intention to stand down as party leader and asked that she commences a Leadership Contest for my replacement as soon as possible. Stuart nicolson is a former adviser to nicola sturgeon. I asked him about claims from leader of the alba party, alex salmond, that humza yousaf was interested in doing a deal with his party. Had humza yousaf sought to do a deal with alba, relying on ash regan� s vote, there would certainly be a substantial number of people within his own ranks, within the snp, it would be deeply uncomfortable with that, given the history of relations between the parties. So i think, in essence, humza yousaf found himself pretty much boxed in with Nowhere To Go, and obviously, as he said himself, he spent the weekend reflecting, essentially trying to see if there was a way out of this. But there was no obvious way out, as soon as the green party, the scottish greens made clear that they were going to vote in favour of this motion of no confidence in him personally, i think it became increasingly clear that there was Nowhere To Go and the game was up. For so many years, the snp has been a dominant force, a seemingly unassailable dominant force in scottish politics, but then came Power Sharing with the greens, and now this. Is the dominant era over . I think people should be quite cautious about making any bold assumptions on that front. The snps polling has fluctuated in recent months, both in terms of Voting Intentions for westminster in the next uk election, and also for the scottish parliament. But i mean, one thing in the background which perhaps doesnt, understandably at the moment, get much focuses polling on independence, support for independence seems pretty much locked in at 50 50 or thereabouts. On that point, sorry to interrupt you, that sort of leads us to the question of independence for scotland, how does what has happened to humza yousaf and the implications for the snp, for the party, how does that have a knock on impact on the quest for independence that the snp has been behind . Well, i think what isnt perhaps realised, as i say, is the fact that independent support remains at historically very high levels, and that is, for the snp, obviously a good thing. But the problem the snp have had in recent times, and certainly the latter part of nicola sturgeon� s leadership as First Minister, was trying to give political and democratic effect to that was becoming increasingly difficult, because you had a uk government that was intent on saying no, regardless of electoral mandates, regardless of Election Wins at westminster or holyrood, it was just saying no. There ultimately has to be a way around that. In the short term, the leadership question, i dont think necessarily this snp leadership election will be overly dominated by the question of independence. We will have more on that story in a little while, when we will be looking at who might replace humza yousaf at the top of the snp, who might be ruling themselves in or out of the race to succeed him. Lets look at the situation in the middle east. We have been telling you about the hoax for some sort of Ceasefire Deal being brokered, and we are hearing from our colleagues who are following the talks that are involving hamas, which are happening involving hamas, which are happening in cairo, and we are hearing that a source close to those talks in cairo between hamas, the egyptian officials in qatar as well, that source has told the bbc that the agreement on offer from israel, which includes a a0 day ceasefire, is significantly different from previous offers, and that they are cautiously optimistic about the possibility of progress. Let me just to recap that line, a source close to recap that line, a source close to the talks in cairo between egyptian officials, hamas and qatar say that the agreement on offer from israeli significantly different from previous offers, and resources there is a cautious optimism about the possibility of progress, in particular this deal offers a a0 day truce in return for the stage to release of israeli hostages, but also offers the prospect of movement of israeli troops towards the north of israeli troops towards the north of gaza, allowing families to return to their homes. So some suggestion that it may take a little bit of time we had to work out any deal, but some cautious optimism being signalled there from those talks involving hamas in cairo. It follows the intense diplomacy of the us� top diplomat, Secretary Of State antony blinken, he has been a very busy man, he says he is hopeful that hamas will accept what he has described as an extraordinarily generous ceasefire offer from israel. Mr blinken is attending parallel talks in saudi arabia and has been speaking as a hamas delegation attends separate Ceasefire Negotiations in egypt. After weeks of impasse, its being reported hamas has no major issues with a revised plan, which is also approved by israel. At this moment, the only thing standing between the people of gaza and a ceasefire is hamas. They have to decide, and they have to decide quickly. So we are looking to them, and im hopeful that they will make the right decision, and we can have a fundamental change in the dynamic. The uks foreign secretary, meanwhile, has given more detail on the Ceasefire Deal on the table. It does seem to me there is now, you knowm, lets be frank, a very generous offer of, you know, a sustained a0 day ceasefire, the release of potentially thousands of Palestinian Prisoners in return for the release of these hostages who have now been in captivity for over 200 days. So i hope hamas do take this deal, and frankly all the pressure in the world and all the eyes of the world should be on them today saying, take that deal, it will bring about this stop in the fighting that we all want to see so badly. For more, i spoke with our security correspondent, frank gardner. There is a feeling that there could be a real breakthrough here, because both sides, hamas and israel, they have made concessions, no question about it. Hamas had originally insisted on an end to the war, and israel is not agreeing to that, but it is agreeing to withdraw some of its forces and to allow the passage of the return of palestinians who are currently basically kettled right into the south, in rafah, to their homes in the north of gaza, and that has been a key demand. They have also dropped their insistence that there has to be at least a0 hostages, the figure that is being talked around is lower than that, around 33. So there is some give here, because there is enormous pressure on both sides, from the qataris, from the egyptians, from the americans, from the french, to get this deal through. Remember that, Behind The Scenes here, the war cabinet in this country, israel, is divided. You have got those who dont want to see any deal at all with hamas, they want to see the Israeli Military go in hard, smash their way into rafah, and eliminate the last remaining few battalions of hamas, the people who carried out the atrocities of October The 7th. But the us has made it very clear, they are opposed to any operation in rafah as it stands at the moment, because they dont think that israel is capable of protecting all those civilians that are currently sheltering there. So we have been hearing about this phrase, sustainable calm, frank, and i wonder, does potentially a a0 day ceasefire represent that, or something more . Well, look, what everybody is hoping for is to be able to bring an end to this thing altogether. What nobody outside this country wants us to see this truth end and for the whole thing to begin all over again. Now, there are people, certainly in the Israeli Military and intelligence and security establishment, who say, look, we have got Unfinished Business in gaza. The architect of the October The 7th attacks and others are still at large, probably in the tunnels underneath rafah, and if we do not go into rafah, it is Unfinished Business, and it willjust pop up like a hydra and we will face the same threats all over again. But the sheer humanitarian, the depth and extent of the humanitarian crisis in gaza, being pushed to the brink of famine, has really galvanised the International Community to try and end the hostilities, or at least bring a temporary pause to them, some respite. And there is great progress on the humanitarian front, much more aid is getting into gaza, this Great Pontoon being built in central gaza that is going to reach out like a kind of finger out into the Eastern Mediterranean sea, for off loading tonnes of aid, more Crossing Points are opening, more trucks are getting in, but that of course is just a band aid, just a sticking plaster for the greater problems, which are the palestinians still do not have a state, and there is no sign from this Israeli Government that it wants to ever give them a kind of route map to that end state. Returning to those dramatic Political Developments in scotland today, humza yousaf has announced he is resigning, staying in post until his successor is decided on. There are questions about whether there will be any further challenges to the scottish government. Mr yousaf� s resignation followed a pressure that he was under after he basically tore up he was under after he basically tore up the Power Sharing Deal with the scottish green party, and as a result he was facing two separate vote of no confidence. Lets pick up on the story and had to westminster, our Political Correspondent nick eardley, what have you got for us . Thanks, look, lots of questions still being poured over in the snp about what humza yousaf got so badly wrong over the last few days that led to his resignation, but also the increasing question of water and specifically who comes next. There are a lot of senior people in the snp already coming out to bat for john swinney, the former deputy First Minister, some of kate forbes backers, the former finance secretary, are making clear that they think that she is going to run as well. One person who was not running but can help us understand more, is the snp� s westminster leader, stephen flynn. A quick question to start, a lot of speculation over the last few days that you had a key role in persuading humza yousaf to collapse the agreement with the greens, is that true . ,. , , that true . No, it is not, this is cominu that true . No, it is not, this is coming from that true . No, it is not, this is coming from unnamed that true . No, it is not, this is| coming from unnamed sources that true . No, it is not, this is coming from unnamed sources who are overstating coming from unnamed sources who are overstating my influence to try and perhaps overstating my influence to try and perhaps feather their own nests, should perhaps feather their own nests, should they want to run to beat leader should they want to run to beat leader of should they want to run to beat leader of the party. To should they want to run to beat leader of the party. Should they want to run to beat leader of the party. To be clear, ou leader of the party. To be clear, you didnt leader of the party. To be clear, you didnt tell leader of the party. To be clear, you didnt tell them leader of the party. To be clear, you didnt tell them to leader of the party. To be clear, you didnt tell them to pulloutl leader of the party. To be clear, i you didnt tell them to pullout of you didnt tell them to pull out of the deal . Nobody goes into his house and tells him what to do, it is very disrespectful to the First Minister to suggest that is the case, and you and i both know that we were only in edinburgh because of the fact that pmqs wasnt happening. We; edinburgh because of the fact that pmqs wasnt happening. Any planned aaenda pmqs wasnt happening. Any planned a. Enda from pmqs wasnt happening. Any planned agenda from the, pmqs wasnt happening. Any planned agenda from the, i pmqs wasnt happening. Any planned agenda from the, i support pmqs wasnt happening. Any planned agenda from the, i support the agenda from the, i support the ending agenda from the, i support the ending of agenda from the, i support the ending of the agreement, i think it was the ending of the agreement, i think it was the right thing to do, and i think was the right thing to do, and i think it was the right thing to do, and i think it is was the right thing to do, and i think it is in was the right thing to do, and i think it is in the best interests of the scottish people to move forward as a Minority Government focused on their priorities, the economy, the nhs, their priorities, the economy, the nhs, cost their priorities, the economy, the nhs, Cost Of Living crisis and achieving nhs, Cost Of Living crisis and achieving an independent scotland, best achieved as a Minority Government. He took a right decision, government. He took a right decision, but he himself has been very reflective at the manner in which very reflective at the manner in which it very reflective at the manner in which it was taken. It very reflective at the manner in which it was taken. Very reflective at the manner in which it was taken. It was obviously a mistake. Which it was taken. It was obviously a mistake. I which it was taken. It was obviously a mistake, i think which it was taken. It was obviously a mistake, i think most which it was taken. It was obviously a mistake, i think most would a mistake, i think most would acknowledge, to deal with it the way it was dealt with, it led to his resignation today. But more broadly, this has been a really turbulent yearfor this has been a really turbulent year for your party, hasnt it . This has been a really turbulent yearfor your party, hasnt it . Do you think he leaves it in a worse state than he inherited . I do you think he leaves it in a worse state than he inherited . I do think that one of state than he inherited . I do think that one of his state than he inherited . I do think that one of his greatest state than he inherited . I do think that one of his greatest legacies i state than he inherited . I do think| that one of his greatest legacies in the party that one of his greatest legacies in the party has been the fact that he deait the party has been the fact that he dealt with the party has been the fact that he dealt with some of the Biggest Challenges that we face, some outwith challenges that we face, some outwith our control, some have happened outwith our control, some have happened within our control. Like what . We dont happened within our control. Like what . We dont need happened within our control. Like what . We dont need to happened within our control. Like what . We dont need to rerun happened within our control. Like| what . We dont need to rerun the sto in what . We dont need to rerun the story in relation what . We dont need to rerun the story in relation to what . We dont need to rerun the story in relation to the what . We dont need to rerun the story in relation to the ongoing i story in relation to the ongoing deaiings story in relation to the ongoing dealings with the police and all the rest of dealings with the police and all the rest of it. Dealings with the police and all the rest of it, but of course theres been rest of it, but of course theres been some rest of it, but of course theres been some huge political challenges as well, been some huge political challenges as well, but throughout all of that, humza as well, but throughout all of that, humza has as well, but throughout all of that, humza has acted with profound integrity. Humza has acted with profound integrity, compassion, and the best interests integrity, compassion, and the best interests of integrity, compassion, and the best interests of the people of scotland. I interests of the people of scotland. I suppose interests of the people of scotland. I suppose what im asking, in a roundabout way, i dont mean this to be rude, but does he a legacy . What is it . He be rude, but does he a legacy . What is it . , ,. ,. ,. , is it . He has been a phenomenal leaderfor is it . He has been a phenomenal leader for the is it . He has been a phenomenal leader for the people is it . He has been a phenomenal leader for the people of is it . He has been a phenomenal| leader for the people of scotland, and at leader for the people of scotland, and at a leader for the people of scotland, and at a time when the rest of the world and at a time when the rest of the world was and at a time when the rest of the world was being silent about what was happening in gaza, he was the first person was happening in gaza, he was the first person to step forward in the publ