FIRST DIVISION

New SNP leader is already facing difficult task of uniting a fractured party and dealing with demands of IndvRef2 supporters

- PAUL HUTCHEON

HUMZA Yousaf will have two of the toughest jobs in Scottish politics when he is sworn in as first minister today.

As head of the government, he will have to deal with the hellish pile-up of domestic policy nightmares that await his Cabinet.

But just as problematic will be his inheritance of a divided party and fractious independence movement.

Nearly 48 per cent of SNP members backed leadership rival Kate Forbes, who trashed Yousaf's record in government and ran on a year zero reset.

More than 20,000 members did not want him in charge and a sizeable group of unsympathetic MSPs will seek to frustrate him.

Former first minister Alex Salmond won by a landslide in 2004 and his successor, Nicola Sturgeon, took over 10 years later unopposed.

Yousaf, by contrast, sneaked home on fellow candidate Ash Regan's second preferences and crawled over the finishing line.

One of his biggest challenges at a party level will be dealing with the impatience of independence supporters.

Many want a referendum immediately or a commitment to turn every election into a de facto vote on leaving the UK. They want a plan - now.

But everything Yousaf said during the campaign suggests he is ready to play a much longer game.

He tried to placate the party's "indy now" wing yesterday by saying he will request a Section 30 order from the UK Government "right away" which, if granted, would allow the Scottish Government to stage a legal referendum.