HUMZA Yousaf has suffered more embarassment as the new First Minister after his fountain pen failed to work at his swearing-in ceremony.

Mr Yousaf took the official oath of office and swore allegiance to the King in front of Scotland’s most senior judge at the Court of Session this morning.

He is now the Keeper of the Scottish Seal, which authorises him to make decisions on behalf of the crown, effectively allowing him to run the country.

As part of the ceremony before the Lord President Lord Carloway and four other judges, Mr Yousaf was required to sign a series of parchments.

However, rather like King Charles III last year, he suffered an acute stationery malfunction. 

With the Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain KC next to him, Mr Yousaf could be seen struggling with the fountain pen, leading a court clerk to take it from him to get it working.

He then handed it back to Mr Yousaf, but after working briefly the pen again failed.

As Ms Bain looked for help to the clerk, the latter again took the pen and tried to get it to work on a scrap of paper.

It then went back to Mr Yousaf for a third time and again failed to work, leading a second clerk to hand him a second pen, which also failed.

The first clerk then managed to get the original pen to work and Mr Yousaf was finally able to complete the signing.

The episode lasted an excruciating two minutes. 

Signing a visitor’s book at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland in September, King Charles lost his temper when his fountain pen burst and the ink ran over his fingers.

“Oh god, I hate this pen,” he said. "I can’t bear this bloody thing… every stinking time.”

Mr Yousaf, watched by his family and friend Aamer Anwar, kept his cool and simply looked bemused.