Can John Swinney bring voters back into the SNP fold?

That decision triggered what has proven to be a calamitous year for the SNP.

By March this year only 29% were telling Ipsos that they regarded Mr Yousaf favourably, while 45% looked on him unfavourably.

By last autumn Savanta were reporting that over half felt the party was not united.

And shortly before Mr Yousaf’s fateful decision to oust the Greens, rather more were telling Redfield & Wilton they thought the SNP government was incompetent (37%) than said it was competent (30%).

Even many of those who voted for the SNP in 2019 had their doubts. Almost as many said the party was not united (43%) as said that it was (47%). Less than half (45%) reckon the SNP government is competent.

Meanwhile, the fallout from the departure of the Greens has done nothing to improve the party’s standing.

Two polls conducted since then, but before it became clear Mr Swinney would become leader without a contest, put the SNP behind Labour.

Equally, YouGov were now reporting that 67% believed that Mr Yousaf was doing badly as first minister, up from 45% last September. As many as 60% now regarded him unfavourably.