Health secretary, former minister announce bids to become next leader of Scottish National Party

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - Scottish Health Secretary Humza Yousaf and former Community Safety Minister Ash Regan on Sunday announced their bids to become next leader of the Scottish National Party and Scotland’s first minister.

"I am delighted to say I have put myself forward to be @theSNP next leader & Scotland's next First Minister," said Scottish Health Secretary Humza Yousaf on Twitter.

In a video message, he said that the last few days have been "a real rollercoaster of emotion," expressing his respect to Nicola Sturgeon, who is the longest-serving first minister of Scotland.

On Wednesday, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced her resignation from the country’s top political post as well as from the helm of the Scottish National Party (SNP).

Meanwhile, Regan, who served as a former community safety minister from 2018 to 2022, also declared her candidacy.

"I will reinvigorate the party, give power to the members and take our party on to further success. Independence - nothing less," she said on Twitter.

Sturgeon, who has been in office since November 2014, is Scotland's first female first minister and also the first woman to lead any of the devolved UK administrations.

Scotland has had a devolved parliament since 1999.

Since the surprise victory of pro-Brexiters in a 2016 referendum – with most Scots voting to stay in the EU – Sturgeon has pushed for a fresh referendum on Scottish independence, but the UK’s Conservative government has said it will not give permission.