John Swinney voted in at Holyrood as Scotland’s next first minister replacing Humza Yousaf

New SNP leader John Swinney is to become Scotland’s next first minister after winning a vote at Holyrood. Mr Swinney won the backing of 64 MSPs, with his nearest rival Scottish Conservatives leader Douglas Ross picking up 31.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar secured 22 votes with the head of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, Alex Cole-Hamilton, winning four. The seven Scottish Green MSPs abstained.

It comes just eight days after predecessor Humza Yousaf announced he was stepping down, after his decision to terminate the powersharing agreement that the SNP had with the Scottish Greens at Holyrood left him facing a vote of no confidence in his leadership.

Mr Yousaf formally tendered his resignation to the King earlier on Tuesday. He succeeded Nicola Sturgeon as  First Minister just 13 months ago. But he is two and a half weeks short of holding the record as Scotland's shortest-serving First Minister - his one year 31 days is longer than the one year 12 days for which Labour's Henry McLeish served.