In Greek mythology The Fates – Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos – were divinities who presided over the inescapable destiny of life. 

Destiny was represented by the threads of human life.  

This week, the political fate of First Minister Humza Yousaf is hanging by a thread, just like the Sword of Damocles.  

The Scottish Conservatives tabled a motion of no confidence in the FM last week, which is likely to be voted on this Wednesday.  

The SNP presently have 63 votes from among their elected members, which is one shy of a majority of 64.  

With the Scottish Greens having been sacked from government – Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater unceremoniously turfed out of Bute House to catch a Lothian bus back to their office – support from the Greens has evaporated.  

Such was the scorn and upset of the Greens, they’ve insisted Yousaf must go if the SNP want their votes. No ifs, no buts. They say he must go.  

Yet, if the FM loses a vote of no confidence he doesn’t have to resign under section 45 of the 1998 Scotland Act.  

That can only be legally pre-empted if he loses a vote of no confidence in his government, which is why Scottish Labour have lodged such a motion to be considered after the Tories’ motion.  

This has created the unprecedented state of affairs where the fate of the FM now seems to hang upon a party that’s yet to win any seats in Scotland. Alba have less support than the Greens, and only have an MSP because Ash Regan defected to them from the SNP.  

At first, we’ve had the unsightly scene of the Greens seeking to effectively dictate who should lead the SNP and be FM – the tail trying to wag the dog so to speak.  

Now, we have the bizarre prospect of one Alba MSP offering to keep the FM in office if he capitulates to her party’s demands.  

At first, one of those demands was to have Scotland United pacts in the forthcoming General Election where only one pro-independence candidate would stand.  

The idea the SNP would simply give up potential MPs was ludicrous. Indeed, the fact the electorate might rebel against the idea of being told who to vote for and not given a choice seems to have escaped some.  

Never fear, we discovered this wasn’t a red line issue for Ash Regan and Alba. So, the FM might yet be saved this week, ultimately by Alex Salmond.  

It’s a classic Greek tragedy unfolding before our eyes; or perhaps more apt, it’s Shakespeare’s Macbeth.  

There is a lack of grace and dignity in all of this – those with miniscule public votes seeking to exercise wholly disproportionate political power. How stable and feasible would it be to cling on as FM based on one person’s vote?  

I’d contend it isn’t feasible at all and wouldn’t make for good government.  

Given where we now are, perhaps the most dignified solution would be for the FM to stand down?  

He could either move for an extraordinary General Election under section 3 of the 1998 Act (with two-thirds of MSPs supporting) or pre-empt an election if no alternative candidate for FM was appointed within 28 days.