AFTER a weekend of sunshine and blue skies, the weather in Edinburgh took a turn for the worse just as journalists began filing into Bute House on Monday morning for a hastily arranged press conference with the First Minister.
There was no real mystery concerning what was about to happen.
Humza Yousaf’s decision to “terminate” the Bute House Agreement with the Scottish Greens last week had left him with few options.
Either submit to the demands of Alba MSP Ash Regan and hold on to his position by a thread or resign in the hope his successor can salvage a working relationship with the Greens.
Media reports – and the calling of a press conference in the first place – all pointed to the fact that Yousaf had chosen the latter option.
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A small crowd had gathered outside Bute House ahead of the speech.
While some were evidently pleased about what was set to happen (“Humza, get your tea!"), others lingered simply to try to grasp what was going on.
“I’m not an SNP supporter,” said one onlooker, Jennifer Lantells.
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“But I just think the whole thing seems so unfortunate.
“When he’s taken over from Nicola Sturgeon, I was hopeful things would be better. But I can’t see how the SNP can quickly recover from this.
“I was actually thinking about voting SNP because I felt that throughout the Covid pandemic Nicola Sturgeon was excellent.
“But just all the things that have come out have put me off and I think I’m going to stick with being a Liberal Democrat.”
Soon enough, journalists were invited inside and ushered into the press room.
To get there, however, we had to walk up the famous staircase bordered with framed photographs of every Scottish first minister.
As we took turns snapping pictures of the hallway, a sense of uncertainty abounded.
Who would be the next person joining them? Nobody seemed sure (which is a rarity in a room full of political journalists brimming with unprompted opinion).
At the behest of a cameraman, a staffer for the First Minister fussed with one of the Saltires which flanked the lectern in the moments before Yousaf entered the room.
READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon reacts to news of Humza Yousaf's resignation
When he finally did – preceded by his wife Nadia El-Nakla and Deputy First Minister Shona Robison – it was clear that no amount of fussing with the set could make this any less painful for him.
As the First Minister broke into tears during his speech, so too did El-Nakla and Robison.
Still, there did also seem to be a measure of relief in Yousaf’s speech.
“Politics can be a brutal business,” he said.
“It takes its toll on your physical and mental health; your family suffer alongside you.”
Safe to say that the vast majority of the press appeared unmoved by Yousaf’s tears.
The decision to take no questions from the media would do little to endear them any further.
“Shades of Theresa May,” said one.
“That was quick,” said another.
Questions were shot at Yousaf as he left the room.
“What’s your biggest regret? Have you left the party in a worse state than you found it? First Minister, have you made a fatal miscalculation?”
The decision to resign hadn’t been finalised until Monday morning, journalists were told.
It wasn’t until the press conference was organised that it was truly official.
As I stepped out on to Charlotte Square and a new political landscape in Scotland, I asked a few more onlookers for their reaction.
One man, Jack Adams, summed up his thoughts: “The SNP are in a bit of a muddle."
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