Humza Yousaf resigned as Scotland's First Minister during a press conference at Bute House on Monday, April 29. We asked Edinburgh locals their opinions.
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00:00 A mixture of disappointment and glee, I have to say.
00:05 He's such a positive and serious minded person, a terrific Scot.
00:11 And, but Scottish independence is the purpose, not the individual.
00:18 I think it's great, I'm just waiting for it, I'm just surprised he's lasted so long.
00:22 [BLANK_AUDIO]
00:32 A mixture of disappointment and glee, I have to say.
00:45 Disappointment because I felt he was very good for the union.
00:49 He's done enormous harm to the SNP, which I rejoice at.
00:54 And glee because I'm glad to see the back of him, to be honest,
00:58 and I'd be even happier to see the back of the SNP.
01:01 I think he is a creditable human being, an impressive person.
01:09 And I can't judge properly his reasons for going.
01:16 But he's such a positive and serious minded person, a terrific Scot.
01:24 And, but Scottish independence is the purpose, not the individual.
01:31 Whether it's Humza or Blessed Nicola, whoever.
01:39 Scotland becoming a self-realising, self-valuing country, that's the whole purpose.
01:47 I think it's great, I'm just waiting for it, I'm just surprised he's lasted so long.
01:51 Just trying to take the country and tell us what we can do, what we can't do.
01:55 Free speech and all that, so it's a good thing.
01:57 I think that's what's pushed him out, the free speech.
01:59 So hate crime, they call it hate speech, but it's not hate speech,
02:03 you just know what you're saying.
02:04 We've got to finish everything, we've got to finish sport, culture, everything.
02:07 Did you come down here especially for this?
02:09 Yeah, I did aye, I just wanted to make sure he was, I thought it was a dream.
02:12 It's not a nightmare, I'm just glad, just making sure he is, definitely is away.
02:17 So it's up, definitely it is aye.
02:19 That's good then aye, I'm so glad I came now.
02:22 My immediate reaction is who replaces him?
02:25 If I've really got an idea, I'd say possibly in Blackford, but again, Westminster.
02:31 Or even a leader, I used to give a base seat I think in Westminster Parliament.
02:36 Were you a supporter of Humza Yousaf?
02:39 Not particularly no.
02:41 I think overall the SNP are in a bit of a muddle, probably Peter Morrell, Nicola,
02:48 and they're trying to rush through these transgender bills, and it's just not working for them.
02:54 When people want to see a Scotland that's going to work for them,
02:58 and the SNP have spent too much time on the independents,
03:01 okay, they're an independent party, that's fair enough.
03:04 But if they're going to go to government then I think they've really got to get Peter Howser out of it.
03:09 I think that anybody who didn't expect an unpleasant backlash from their departure,
03:21 given the circumstances in which it occurred, would have been silly not to have expected that.
03:29 It's caused a huge feeling, because the recycling, things like that, the climate change,
03:35 everybody was into that, and he's just sort of kicked into touch.
03:38 So that's what's pushed him out as well.
03:41 I think Scotland has crossed the Rubicon.
03:44 Whatever the current upset about whichever issue, Scotland has crossed the Rubicon.
03:55 I think the core feeling is that Scotland needs to become a self-realising, self-governing country,
04:03 and that there are so many positives in favour of Scottish independence,
04:09 that hums a staying, hums a going, in the sweep of history, it's just another footnote.