Powerful Regan could be the kingmaker
Humza Yousaf once described her as ‘no great loss’ when she left the party.
But now former SNP leadership candidate Ash Regan could become kingmaker next week as Humza Yousaf faces a vote of no confidence.
After a day that saw the Scottish Greens side with the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and Labour in the backing of a vote of no confidence, the now Alba Party MSP could hold the deciding vote.
There are just 63 SNP MSPs at Holyrood, whilst opposition MSPs total 64, meaning Edinburgh Eastern MSP Regan could tip the vote one way or the other.
Ms Regan has been described as ‘powerful’ by Alba Party leader Alex Salmond, while JK Rowling said her position was ‘karma’ for the First Minister.
Alba MSP Ash Regan is yet to decide how she will vote next week
Alex Salmond described Ms Regan as ‘the most powerful MSP’ in parliament
However, Mr Yousaf said she was ‘no great loss’ to his party after she defected to the SNP’s independence rivals in October last year.
The pair went head-to-head during the SNP leadership campaign, where she called for more extreme independence tactics and expressed her complete opposition to both transgender ideology and the Greens in government.
Her stance on gender reforms also led her to quit the cabinet during the voting stage in one of the first displays of discontent within the SNP on the trans issue.
Ms Rowling said on social media: ‘The idea that Humza Yousaf’s political fate may now lie in the hands of Ash Regan, the woman who left the SNP in disgust at its plans for gender self-ID, reminds me...’
She then shared the Tarot card Karma – which is also depicted as Judgment in some decks.
Mr Salmond backed his party colleague, who said she is yet to decide how she will vote in the upcoming test for Mr Yousaf.
Ms Regan said: ‘I’ll be writing to Humza today, and I’ll be asking him about independence, how he’s going to defend women’s rights, and how he’s going to bring competence back to government.
‘So it will entirely depend on the reply that I get from him.’
She also said: ‘I’m happy to listen to what the SNP have got to say, my door is open and I will support them on an issue-by-issue basis.
‘My priorities are completely unchanged: independence, women’s rights, child protection, protection of our key industries.’
Speaking on Times Radio, Mr Salmond said of Ms Regan’s potential role as kingmaker that she would ‘use that power very wisely indeed’.
He said: ‘Humza’s fate will depend on how he responds,’ adding that her vote will make her the ‘most powerful MSP in the Scottish parliament’.
