Chris Mason: Old tensions to remain for SNP's new leader

It illustrates the clout and power of the Scottish National Party - evidently successful Scotland, but besides beyond - that Humza Yousaf's predetermination arsenic Nicola Sturgeon's successor arsenic SNP person was watched with fascination present astatine Westminster.

The crushed is simple: the numbers.

The SNP radical of MPs is the 3rd largest successful the Commons; it holds 45 of Scotland's 59 seats.

By contrast, Labour clasp conscionable one.

They won 41 erstwhile they past won a wide predetermination successful 2005.

The actions of Sir Keir Starmer, Labour's leader, since Nicola Sturgeon announced her resignation past period are not subtle: he's visited Scotland 4 times.

He hopes his party's buoyant sentiment canvass ratings and the departure of Ms Sturgeon could magnitude to an inflection point.

Not the near-instant shrivelling of the SNP oregon thing similar it, but a humble revival for Labour that could assistance successful his agelong haul to Downing Street.

They oculus with expanding anticipation the municipality and suburban seats successful and astir Glasgow and Edinburgh successful Scotland's Central Belt and anticipation to scope a tipping constituent wherever possibly a twelve oregon truthful Westminster seats are wrong reach.

But the predetermination of Mr Yousaf gives the SNP, astatine slightest immediately, a softer governmental landing than a Kate Forbes triumph would person done.

The Scottish Green Party has renewed its willingness to service successful authorities alongside the SNP nether Mr Yousaf, which it wouldn't person done nether Ms Forbes.

The SNP's governmental opponents besides cognize that successful the abbreviated word a caller archetypal curate volition bid media attention: being sworn in, forming a cabinet, conversations with the premier curate and the King.

Plus a earthy curiosity from a Scottish electorate wondering however Mr Yousaf volition get on.

But beyond that they spy opportunity: a newbie without the illustration of his 2 predecessors, Nicola Sturgeon and Alex Salmond, starring a authorities with the accumulated baggage of a decade-and-a-half successful office.

But the authorities of time volition travel the governing of now: and the narration betwixt premier curate Rishi Sunak and soon to beryllium Scottish archetypal curate Humza Yousaf.

Formalities specified arsenic a congratulatory telephone telephone are expected erstwhile Mr Yousaf is confirmed arsenic archetypal minister.

The Secretary of State for Scotland, Alister Jack, said "too often successful the past Holyrood ministers person sought struggle with Westminster, simply to further their extremity of separation" and pleads with the caller Scottish authorities to absorption connected "improving education, tackling drugs deaths, and ensuring radical person the reliable transport links they need."

A mates of sentences that rapidly gets to the crux of relations betwixt Holyrood and Westminster, erstwhile the authorities successful London wants to support Scotland successful the UK, and the authorities successful Edinburgh does not.

However cordial oregon different the idiosyncratic relations betwixt the premier curate and the caller archetypal minister, that hostility volition remain.

The information is Ms Sturgeon, for each her occurrence astatine predetermination aft election, failed successful her eventual ngo of delivering Scottish independence, and ran retired of contiguous routes to bring astir different referendum connected it.

And determination are nary contiguous routes for Mr Yousaf either.

Don't beryllium amazed to spot Mr Sunak politely constituent retired and exemplify helium is Scotland's premier minister, irrespective of the alteration successful unit astatine Holyrood.

The law stand-off is unchanged: the SNP reason they person a antiauthoritarian mandate for different independency referendum.

And the UK authorities continues to accidental no.