Scotland’s first minister quits · three major lenders to raise mortgage rates — your evening briefing

Today’s news curated by upday.

Humza Yousaf admitted “politics can be a brutal business” as he announced his resignation as Scotland’s first minister just four days after tearing up the powersharing agreement the SNP had with the Scottish Greens. The collapse of that deal had seen Yousaf facing two votes of no confidence in the Scottish Parliament. Read more » upday

A man has admitted killing an elderly mobility scooter rider in a “motiveless” knife attack five days after being released from prison. Lee Byer, who had a string of previous convictions, stabbed 87-year-old Thomas O’Halloran in the neck and chest in Greenford, west London, in August 2022. Read more » upday

Three major lenders have announced they will raise rates on new fixed deal mortgages on Tuesday. Nationwide, Santander and NatWest will push up the cost of new deals as uncertainty remains over lending costs, following various rivals who lifted their rates last week. Read more » BBC News

Two men have appeared in court charged with murder after a torso was discovered in a nature reserve. The body part was found in clear plastic by a passer-by at Kersal Dale Wetlands in Salford on April 4. Remains were found at two more locations over the weekend and on Monday morning police said there had been a further discovery in an alleyway close to railway lines. Read more » upday

Rishi Sunak rejected the idea of accepting the return of asylum seekers from Ireland amid concerns the UK Government’s Rwanda policy was driving the flow of migrants across the border with the republic. The Prime Minister said he was “not interested” in any sort of returns deal if the EU did not allow the UK to send back asylum seekers who had crossed the English Channel from France. Read more » upday