Alex Salmond warns First Minister he could be remembered as 'Humza the brief' and replaced by Kate Forbes

Alex Salmond has warned the First Minister he could be remembered as "Humza the brief" and is in danger of losing his job to Kate Forbes.

The Alba party leader also declared "if Humza Yousaf was a horse I wouldn't be backing him" as the SNP leader faces a no confidence vote next week.

Alba's solitary MSP, Ash Regan, could have the critical vote as the Tories, Greens, Labour and Lib Dems have all indicated they will vote against Yousaf.

It comes after the First Minister ended the Bute House Agreement with the Greens on Thursday morning.

Forbes and Regan both lost to Yousaf in the SNP leadership contest last year.

Salmond told BBC Radio Scotland's Drivetime programme: "[Ash Regan] will be writing to Humza over the next day or two setting out a list of priorities which she's set out.

"That's independence for Scotland, when's there going to be progress towards it.

"What guarantees he can give her about protection of women and girls as opposed to the legislation that Humza's been responsible for in the recent past.

"And thirdly, how he plans to restore competence to the Scottish Government."

"She'll set out her concerns and her priorities in her letter and Humza's fate will depend on the reply to that letter."

When asked if he was prepared to take down an SNP Government and put the Tories in power, he said: "Don't be silly. The two things are not necessarily the same... If the First Minister loses a vote of no confidence there are 28 days to get another First Minister.

"In the ranks of the SNP... if Humza can't command the confidence of the parliament, there might be somebody else who can.

"But whatever happens, there's certainly not going to be a Tory Government in Holyrood."

He continued: "Humza has to understand that he's no longer in the position of ruling the roost.

"I've been watching him today. I can only describe his tactics as kamikaze. He's insulted every opposition party in the parliament... Humza's going to have to mend his ways and do it very quickly.

"Otherwise he's going to become known as 'Humza the brief'.

He added: "The SNP should be capable of putting up somebody else... Kate Forbes could step forward into the breach for the SNP under these circumstances."

When asked if he would like Forbes to be in the position, he said: "It's not up to me to pick the SNP First Minister."

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